The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has suggested that people who break government seals should be prosecuted. This proposal was made during a recent meeting of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Ikeja Cell. The meeting, which was themed “Professional Ethics and Codes of Conduct”, highlighted the need for adherence to ethical standards in the building industry.
The Lagos State Government had previously sealed 12 buildings in the Banana Island area of the state for the second time. This was due to the occupants removing the seals, and two illegal fences were also removed. Gbolahan Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, revealed that the affected structures were sealed because of the developers’ failure to obtain planning permits and their removal of government seals.
Sulaiman Yusuf, the President of the guild, stated that laws were in place and those who break them should be arrested. Mr Yusuf added that once a place is sealed, there should be constant monitoring to ensure compliance is maintained, to avoid violators. He further proposed that anyone found culpable should be arrested and face the law. This action must also be publicised to serve as a deterrent to others.
Abiodun Fatuyi, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, urged everyone to take responsibility for their actions. He emphasised that building collapse takes lives, and anyone caught breaking seals should go through due process and be prosecuted. This would serve as a deterrent to others who may consider similar actions.
The Financial Secretary of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ikeja Branch, Funmi Olubajo, said that it came down to ethics and integrity. He highlighted that when a building is sealed, there has been a contravention that the owners, professionals, and government agencies are aware of. Thus, breaking the seal to continue construction is a breach of ethics.
Kunle Awobodu, the pioneer President of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, emphasized the importance of ethics. He proposed mentoring programmes for young professionals to guide them in handling big projects. This would help to avoid situations where developers take on projects they do not have the necessary experience to handle.
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has called for constant monitoring of sealed buildings to ensure that compliance is maintained and violators are prosecuted. The proposal to prosecute people who break government seals aims to ensure sanity is restored to the built sector and ultimately prevent building collapse.
