Date: 2022-02-16

The Kwara Government has announced plans to create a functional building control agency that will inspect, approve and certify every stage of building construction in the state.

Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq said this on Wednesday in Ilorin at a one-day symposium organised by the state Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

It was themed: "Building Control in Kwara State: A Synergy between Government and Stakeholders".

Represented by the state Commissioner for Communication, Mr George Towoju, the governor said the agency would be created through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

He said the agency was expected to sanitise the building sector and encourage sustainable housing development in the state.

"Our primary focus in building control is to ensure that houses are designed in a manner that public safety and contemporary urban design cannot be compromised.

"Therefore, part of the key roles of the stakeholders in this move, particularly the professional bodies, is to determine the educational qualification of their members and regulate their activities in the building and construction industry.

"There are growing concerns among the professionals and stakeholders in the building environment over the spate of buildings collapse in the country," he said.

AbdulRazaq said that building collapse, on several occasions, led to unnecessary loss of lives and properties, thus posing threat to the nation's development.

He attributed several cases of building collapse in the country to unavailability of building control policies or poor implementation of existing ones.

Earlier, Mr Ibrahim Akaje, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, commended the governor for his passionate interest in the welfare of the citizens and for approving the programme.

Akaje said the symposium is an indication that the ministry was ready to share from the wealth of experience of other stakeholders.

He enjoined the participants to take advantage of the programme to learn new ideas on world class building techniques to grow the sector.

"The state will continue to provide the needed partnership and create the enabling environment for resource persons, consultants and stakeholders in building-related matters, to develop Kwara state," he said.

The Guest Speaker, Mr Dayo Adeniyi, with ASQ Development and Training, a UK based firm, called for appropriate sanctions on those found wanting in cases of building collapse in Nigeria.

He advised Nigeria to learn from the UK experience in enforcing building codes, adding that every stakeholder in the building sector has a role to play in ensuring sanity in the sector.

(NAN)