The Chairman Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Engr Uwem Akpan said the society has set up a committee to monitor construction sites in Uyo city as a move to check quackery and eliminate incessant incidents of collapsed structures in Akwa Ibom state.
Speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday, Akpan disclosed that the society in Akwa Ibom decided to set up the committee in the wake of collapse four-storey building in Uyo city last year which incident occurred one month after he was inaugurated as the state Chairman of Nigeria Society of Engineers in the state.
Akpan said it was a challenge for him to take up the responsibility of ensuring that quacks are completely eliminated in the Engineering profession.
“I was sworn in on August 2022 as the state Chairman of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE). The unfortunate incident happened in the first week of September.
“When we hear about building collapse, it shows that there is a failure somewhere either structurally or otherwise.
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“When I heard about the collapse, I rushed to the scene. The first we did was a rescue mission to save the victims.
“Later we pick samples of the collapsed building from the inside and analyse them to see what was the cause of the collapse. Is it because of the columns, beams, foundation or whatever?
“Once we finished with the analysis, we now come up with the report. I informed the National President of NSE and he arrived Uyo the following day.”
Akpan observed that some buildings in the state are supervised by quacks who do not possess Engineering qualifications but handle high-rise buildings in various parts of the state.
He said the committee will ensure that these quacks are fished out to face the wrath of the law.
“When I stopped at the site of a high-rising building and requested to see the site engineer and when I introduced myself to him, the guy ran away,” he said
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