LAGOS AND THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING COLLAPSE written by TAYO OGUNBIYI They looked lost, confused and helpless. Starring occasionally at a few of their possessions that were salvaged from the debris that their once beloved habitation has become. They caught quite a pitiable sight, occasionally staring into space, searching perhaps, for the way out of their present predicament.They were the occupants of a three-storey building at 353 Agege Motor Road, which recently collapsed. The incidence, which took place in the afternoon, claimed a nine-month-old baby aside causing various degrees of physical injuries to many others in addition to loss of other vital belongings. The phenomenon of building collapse in Nigeria, with resultant loss of lives and properties, injuries, structural and collateral damages to other properties as well as public infrastructures, is becoming quite alarming. Though cases of building collapse are not peculiar to Nigeria, the trend in the country is, however, becoming quite bothersome and a source of concern to all well-meaning individuals. Here in Lagos, we have had a fair share of cases of building collapse with its ensuing trauma and agonies. The case of Lagos is particularly aggravated by its population density, the wet nature of the environment as well as the landscape of the state which most builders do not often take into consideration before embarking on building activities. The situation is further exacerbated by the refusal of residents to heed government’s warning to vacate buildings that are discovered to have faulty structures and therefore unsuitable for human habitation. This is often the situation with most collapsed buildings in the state. For instance, it is on record that the state government had warned the occupants of the collapsed building at 353, Agege Moto Road, Lagos of the imminent collapse of the building two years ahead of the eventual occurrence. Similarly, the influx of many people to Lagos, on a daily basis, exerts much pressure on the available housing, leading to overcrowding in most houses with its resulting extra load and apparent distress of most buildings, particularly in densely populated areas. Lagos is said to have the highest urban population, which was put at about 5.171 person persons per square kilometre as at 2008 and 27.4 per cent of the national estimate. The desperate attempt by the residents to get out of the hook of terrible and shylock landlords by getting roof over their heads at all cost, coupled with the eagerness of developers, both professionals and non-professionals, to get quick returns on their investments often leads to situation where regulations are deliberately or ignorantly circumvented thereby compromising standards at the expense of people’s lives. There is no point in apportioning blames in respect of the trend of building collapse in the country. Everyone simply has a role to play to if the trend is to be reversed. Governments across the country need to ensure that building regulations are strictly adhered to while the people must be willing to play by the rules. Unfortunately, Nigeria is a place where illegality thrives, people build structures without approved plan, building permit and other necessary authorisations, while estates spring up without approved layout. It is estimated that more than 60 per cent of structures across the country falls within this category. To cut cost, many people result to using substandard materials which are prevalent and abundant in Nigeria, both homemade and imported. Sadly, every cheap thing comes with a price. In Lagos, the state government is not oblivious of the threat which the occurrence of collapsed building had over the years posed to government’s efforts to protect lives and property. The state governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), recently inaugurated a six-man tribunal of inquiry on collapsed buildings. While inaugurating the tribunal, Fashola disclosed that any state official found guilty of compromising standards in the issuance of permits to builders would be sanctioned while buildings constructed without compliance to necessary regulations would be pulled down. He, equally, appealed to residents to patiently follow due process and report structurally defective buildings in their immediate environment to appropriate quarters. Similarly, the demanding housing situation in the state is being tackled through series of policies aimed at stemming the challenges In the housing sector. The strengthening of the Ministry of Housing and other affiliated agencies like Lagos State Property Development (LSDPC), Lagos Building and Investment Company (LBIC) is a direct response by the state government to meeting the urgent intervention required in the sector. Presently, the New Towns Development Authority [NTDA] provides site and service schemes for individual middle-income housing. Equally, the state government is also providing various forms of housing opportunities to Lagosians through the construction of various categories of homes across the state. This is in addition to encouraging private sector involvement in the provision of housing. If we are to avert future occurrence of building collapse, governments across the country must intensify the conduct of integrity test on old buildings particularly multi- storey ones to determine their structural stability and safety for habitation. This must be done on a regular basis as a matter of policy. Equally, where it already exists, legislation against illegal building activities should be strengthened while monitoring activities from relevant government agencies should also become more effective. Similarly, efforts must be made to step up prosecution of professionals/developers who move to site without development permit and engage in other sharp practices such as the use of sub-standard materials to serve as deterrent to others. The only condition that makes evil to thrive is for evil to go un-punished.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 09:31:57 +0000
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