Collapse: Let’s stop patronising those giving us ‘Computer Aided Disasters’ —IgbiniJesu

Peter O. IgbiniJesu, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, is the current President of Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers. In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, he speaks on the Lagos State Government’s white paper on Ikoyi building collapse and the need for developers/investors to engage the services of duly qualified, registered and experienced professionals during building construction as well as the importance of soil test before construction.

What is your comment  on the highlight of the White Paper on collapsed 21-Storey building in Ikoyi, released by the Lagos State Government two days ago? 

It has been established by the investigating tribunal that it was a 20-storey building that collapsed. I want to commend the Lagos State Government for the prompt release of the White Paper on the Tribunal’s report. The accepted recommendations made by the tribunal shows that the state government is committed to the regulation of construction activities with a view of stemming the tide of building collapse in the state.

I fully subscribe to it. This will be a laudable venture. In the process, buildings whose original use as designed and built has been converted to other uses will be identified and reevaluated for safety sake. It should be noted that wrong conversions of intended use of building to structures with higher loads is also a major cause of building collapse.

 

One of the highlights was the recommendation that an independent consortium of professionals should scrutinise all high rise buildings in Lagos.  Do you subscribe to this? 

In my views, this means that there will be collaboration of experts in all fields in the built environment that will form the consortium to carry out these exercises.

 

Do the professionals have enough capacity (human, machine and modern equipment) to carry out this assignment?

I am very positive that the teams that will make up the consortium will have the capacities (human, machinery, tools etc) required for the assignment.

 

How can the government goes about the selection of these professionals/ firms?

The government can conveniently rely on all the various regulatory professional bodies and associations recognised by law governing and monitoring the built environment.

 

According to a report, professionals are involved in the collapse of a three-storey building in Onike, Yaba, Lagos a week ago. What does this suggest?

One thing is to be a professional; the other is to be competent. If it is ascertained and confirmed that they were professionals, are they duly authorized to handle such project? Did they exhaust and check all design parameters required?  It may be premature to apportion blames and trade words on issues concerning the incident. We hope that the conclusion of the findings will give a clearer understanding of the involvement of the so-called professionals.

In the case of the Ikoyi building collapse, it was shocking and embarrassing that not all design criteria were adhered to. How can horizontal wind forces on such a building be ignored. This is clearly an issue of qualification, competence and experience.

 

How importance is soil test to building development?

This is like asking how relevant is the ‘Breast milk to a new born baby’ or the ‘Tailor making a dress without the material’ or the relevance of ‘Engine to a moving vehicle.’

Soil investigation or soil test is an important integral part of the development of a building. It is simply to understand the ground conditions that will support the building resting on it.

What varies on the type and magnitude of the soil investigation is based on the location, exposure, size/magnitude of the building. It is very necessary to determine the bearing capacity, the settlement rate of any given type of soil. The establishment of the density, compaction, presence of organic matter, contaminants through soil classification cannot be played with.

 

How can we reduce incidences of building collapse in Nigeria? 

Very simple! Engage the services of duly qualified, registered and experienced professionals. In all these, for the stability of any building structure more than certain number of floors, engage a competent, duly registered and experienced structural engineer.

 

What are the roles of structural engineers in all of these?

The Tribunal on Ikoyi building collapse and the Lagos State Government’s White Paper on it indicated several flaws and omissions on the design of the building. A well qualified, registered and experienced structural engineer will carry out all structural analysis based on loads and forces that the building will be subjected to and provide all necessary solutions to the building elements that can withstand these loads and forces.

 

What is your agenda for the group as the new president?

As President of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers), I want to create, establish and expand the necessary awareness through the existing institution’s advocacy for the general public to be aware and ensure that the buildings they are involved with has been handled by the services of duly registered, qualified and experienced structural engineer in collaboration with other professionals in the built environment.

 

How can we reduce homelessness among Nigerians? 

Government should provide the enabling environment, encourage and regulate private developers, to ensure competence, encourage and welcome research into other sources of building materials, involvement of commercial banks in funding housing projects, improvements on existing housing mortgage systems, expansions of all existing infrastructures.

 

Other suggestions?

We need to encourage ourselves as Nigerians to have values for human lives and appeal to all professionals to limit their practices to areas of their core competence. If you are not a qualified, trained, registered and experienced structural engineer, do not take or handle projects involving structural engineering. Otherwise, you will be seen as quack in the field of structural engineering. Let us all stop patronizing those who are giving us ‘Computer Aided Disasters’ CAD.

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