KEY POINTS
- House of Representatives launches a probe into frequent building collapses.
- 135 building collapses reported between 2022 and July 2024.
- Committees tasked with investigating the causes and proposing solutions.
The Committees on Works, Environment, Housing, and Safety Standards of the House of Representatives have been instructed to look into the rising frequency of building collapses in Nigeria.
This ruling comes after Aderemi Oseni, the representative for Oyo State’s Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, made a motion titled “Need to Investigate the Menace of Incessant Building Collapse in Nigeria.”
Rising concern over collapses
The House voiced concern at Wednesday’s plenary session that protecting residents’ lives and property should be the government’s first priority, pointing out that the alarmingly high frequency of building collapses in large cities has become the norm.
However, Oseni brought up the catastrophic July 12, 2024, collapse of Saint Academy’s two-story structure in Jos, Plateau State, which left 154 people trapped under debris and claimed 22 lives.
According to Punch, Oseni also cited reports that 135 buildings collapsed between 2022 and the middle of 2024. These incidents demonstrate how urgently the government must step in to stop additional property and human casualties.
“If no urgent action is taken, we risk losing more lives and property, which would have a devastating impact on communities and the economy,” Oseni cautioned during his presentation.
Call for stronger regulations and accountability
Oseni underlined that in order to guarantee that industry best practices are adhered to, a number of institutions, including the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria, are in charge of enforcing building standards.
Moreover, he emphasized that the frequent building collapses seen nationwide are partly attributable to noncompliance with these regulations.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas charged the Committee on Works with looking into the underlying reasons for the recurrent collapses after the House approved the measure.
For additional legislative action, the committee is anticipated to report back in four weeks after working to find long-term measures to stop the threat.
A path to safer construction
It is believed that the House’s decision to look into building collapses is an important step in making sure Nigerian construction methods are safer.
Also, finding violations of regulations, the use of inferior materials, and other causes of the collapses will be the main goals of the study.
By guaranteeing accountability and raising safety standards, the investigation also seeks to rebuild public trust in the building sector.
