The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, officially launched an expanded Ministerial Task Team aimed at addressing building collapses in Nigeria.
According to a statement from Badamasi S. Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations On Wednesday , the newly expanded Task Team includes representatives from major professional organizations and regulatory agencies within the construction sector, as well as technical staff from the ministry’s various departments.
The professional organizations and regulatory bodies represented in the task team include:
i) Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON)
ii) Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
iii) Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN)
iv) Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC)
v) Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON)
vi) Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON)
vii) Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON)
viii) Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG).
In his address, Dangiwa expressed concern over the increasing number of building collapse incidents in Nigeria, labeling it as unacceptable and a source of national shame. He stated, “These preventable tragedies have resulted in the heartbreaking loss of innocent lives, permanent disabilities for survivors, destruction of property, and lasting psychological trauma for families.”
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The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing this issue, noting that he had previously approved the formation of a Committee on Building Collapse in Nigeria to investigate the underlying causes and suggest practical, sustainable solutions.
He revealed that the committee, led by Arch. Maji Liberty Alkali, had submitted a report with eighteen key recommendations. Dangiwa mentioned that he had subsequently expanded the committee to include essential regulatory and professional bodies in the construction sector to facilitate a comprehensive implementation, highlighting that building collapse is a multifaceted issue that involves various professions, including architecture, engineering, quantity surveying, and town planning.
Recognizing the importance of the expanded committee, the Minister underscored the necessity for a collaborative approach across all professions involved in the construction process. He stated that architects must ensure designs comply with safety standards, engineers must verify the accuracy of structural calculations, quantity surveyors must ensure cost and material specifications are appropriate, and builders must carry out construction with integrity.
The Terms of Reference for the reconstituted committee include reviewing the eighteen approved recommendations and advising the Ministry on phased and effective implementation strategies.