The Federal Government has pledged to comprehensively address the issue of frequent building and construction collapses in Nigeria, with the aim of putting a decisive end to the crisis.
Senator John Owan Enoh, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, made this known at the National Conference on the Building and Construction Sector held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The conference, organised by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) under the theme “Adherence to Standard Practices: Bedrock of Sustainable Development in the Building/Construction Sector”, saw the minister expressing concern over the repeated instances of building collapse across the country, emphasizing the need for bold action to tackle the challenge.
“This forum could not have come at a time better than this when cases of incessant building collapses are being witnessed in the country at all time and I think that for both SON and stakeholders that are here, the question is what is the cause of this and what can be done in the midst of several factors that range from standardisation and quality, certification and efficient regulatory system and enforcement?
“I think it behoves all of us to have the courage to tackle this menace. It requires courage and it is possible to do it. It is possible to exist in a country which such incidents are no more,” the minister said.
The minister also expressed concerns on the absence of SON at Nigeria’s sea ports, noting that many building materials enter the country through the ports.
He stressed that this situation warrants attention to ensure only quality materials are approved for use.
“On SON returning to our ports, if SON is the one issuing various SONCAP certifications for goods entering the country and is not present, it means…” he said.
Enoh said tackling the problem of frequent building collapse aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for security and safety and urged the conference participants to collaborate with SON in developing practical solutions to ensure safer, more reliable building structures.
