They also bemoaned the devaluation of the nation’s currency and the rising cost of building materials.
The protest, which commenced at the frontage of Ikeja Local Government’s Secretariat, ended at the Lagos House of Assembly and aimed at creating awareness of the dangers of building collapses.
Addressing the audience were the President of BCPG, Alhaji Sulaimon Alahi Yusuf; the former President of the guild, Arc. Akinola; the former Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Nike Ayanda; and the Chairman of BCPG in Lagos, Joseph Akande, among others.
Speaking, Sulaimon raised the alarm over what he called an “accelerant in the causation of building collapses in the state.”
The accelerant, he said, was the depreciation of the value of the national currency, the naira. “As of the preparation of this brief address, the naira had fallen to approximately N1,500 against the dollar, a depreciation of over 100 percent in just about six months. This means that the cost of building materials will rise astronomically,” he said.
The expected rise in the cost of building materials, such as cement, fittings, and even wages for artisans and professionals in the built environment, Yusuf argued, would eventually have a ripple effect that would see further proliferation of substandard goods as more builders would seek to cut costs by all means and an increase in the patronage of quack professionals and untrained artisans.
He expressed fear that the effects of these emerging menaces might not be felt immediately, but in three to four years’ time, one may begin to see more building collapses, warning that “prevention is better than cure.”
The sensitization walk, he said, was an opportunity to bring the emerging challenge to the attention of all stakeholders and a call to action.
Suggesting a way out, the BCPG president called on the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Office of Urban Development to take action, saying they have strong roles to play.
According to him, they must double their efforts in ensuring that building standards are kept by all builders and must begin to fund research or operationalize the results of previous research on local/traditional building materials.
He said: “It has become necessary to look inwards to reduce the effects of a depreciating naira.
“The Standard Organization of Nigeria also must take extra care in ensuring that only quality building materials are in the market. We must have a hard line on this.”
“The government must train even more artisans and professionals in the built environment. It is my strong opinion that each Local Government Area must have at least one training school where youths can get trained and become skilled in different areas of the built industry.
“Also, special scholarships should be provided for students offering courses in the built environment to encourage more of them to participate effectively.
“The youth must be encouraged to know that they do not need to “japa” or turn to a life of crime to become successful in life,” he said.
Yusuf also made a case for the review of regulatory fees, advising the state government to see the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Office of Urban Development as agencies for regulation and not revenue generation.
“More people will be encouraged to turn to the government and follow the rules of engagement if they do not find the regulatory agencies financially burdensome.
“The government is encouraged to turn to proper taxation principles for revenue generation as it is done in more developed nations,” he said.
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