The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) says the cause of the collapsed 7 storey Building at Woji Road in GRA, Port Harcourt in 2018 and others was because no professional builder was engaged in the construction of the projects.

Rivers State Chairman of NIOB, Ugochukwu Ohuabunwa, who revealed this while addressing members of NIOB and the public at the site of the collapsed 7 storey building on Saturday, March 12, 2022, said the Institute is meeting with officials of the State Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning and leadership of the State House of Assembly to domesticate the National Building Code in the State.

Ohuabunwa also revealed that the Institute has volunteered to monitor project constructions in the state as part of its measure to stop Building Collapse in the state even as it continues to carry out its awareness and advocacy programs in the area of property development.

He boasted that no building under the supervision of a professional builder had ever collapsed, stating that the collapsing of buildings is avoidable only if a professional is duly engaged during project construction.

According to him, “NIOB is not an enforcement organ, what we can do is to create awareness and advocacy and sensitise the public to always engage a builder in project construction as well as draw the attention of the Government to drive the building code which is the guiding law for building construction.

“This will make it compulsory for Professionals to handle their specific roles in building construction. We are fighting it from National and Local levels to ensure that the building codes are enforced during Building construction.”

Ohuabunwa said the responsibility of checking adherence to standard Building guidelines in order to check emergency situations is not only that of the government but also rests with the owner who should ensure that quacks are not engaged in developing their property, adding that the Institute is working hard to see that there should be a penalty for offenders who do not abide by the National Building Code.

He, however, commiserated with the families of those who lost their loved ones during the unfortunate incident, assuring that the Institute would intensify her advocacy programs to create awareness against using quacks in property development.