Housing pros urge urban regeneration as tribunal begins sitting Continued ... “A total urban regeneration is what is needed in Lagos State. This is because as far back as 1992, about 42 cities in Lagos have been declared as slums and that is about 70 per cent of buildings in the state are built in slum zones. First, these cities are growing old and if considered very well, you will find that none of these buildings has a development permit from the government,” he said. Nubi said the committee should also emphasize the need for intensive advocacy for planning, urging NITP to pilot this initiative. To him, the state should work towards encouraging home ownership through mortgage facilities not necessarily by building but by buying flats. President, Association of Consulting Architects Nigeria (ACANigeria), Mr. Fred Coker, said it was encouraging that the state government was taking the issue of collapsed building very seriously and had inaugurated the tribunal to look into the causes, quality of building materials, building methods and make recommendations on measures to prevent the re-occurrence of building collapse. In his view, the spate of the menace has to do with the lack of accountability at all levels of society. “Why should we be surprised to learn of contractors cutting corners or consultants not doing their works as expected when they know that nothing will happen should a problem arise? After all, they see our leaders on a daily basis getting away with crimes far worse and getting away with it. Consequently, in my opinion, we will still have building collapse in the future till the decay in the society is reversed. Notwithstanding, we cannot ideally stand by and we must not give up hope.” Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said that the state was committed to addressing all issues on physical planning and building collapse. Ipaye expressed the commitment at the inaugural sitting of the Tribunal of Inquiry on Collapsed Buildings in Lagos. He said the tribunal was set up to check incidence of building collapse by ensuring that rightful professionals, materials and methods were used at construction sites. “The spate of building collapse and failures in the state has become an endemic problem that has defied all solutions in the recent past. “These incidences have resulted in loss of lives and properties and have caused disabilities to many. “But with the efforts of this new tribunal, we believe the menace will be reduced to a minimal rate, if not completely stopped,” he said. Ipaye said that the tribunal would serve as a forum for all stakeholders, house owners, tenants and professionals to contribute their quota to the prevention of building collapse. Chairman of the tribuna, Mrs. Abimbola Ajayi, said that the committee would work to ensure that the incidence of building collapse was controlled. Ajayi advised members of the public to assist the tribunal in the task by reporting any case of building collapse or use of sub-standard building materials to the tribunal. Other members of the tribunal are Mr. Joseph Adebowale Adewale, an engineer; Mrs. Roli Craig, Mr. Moses Ogunleye, a town palnner, Mr. Olusegun Adedeji, also an engineers, and Mr. Biodun Rufai, an architect, Mr. Kehinde David serves as Secretary.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 09:20:19 +0000
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