Experts link professional misconduct, compromise to incidences of building collapse in Lagos

Barely a week after two people were killed when a building collapsed in Meiran area of Lagos State, another incident occurred last Wednesday,  as another building  collapsed at No 3 Massey Street Lagos Island where 14 people were rescued, but property worth millions of naira perished.

These incessant occurrences of building collapse which seemed to have become the rule rather than an exception have been attributed to twin evils of professional misconducts and official compromises.

The development has become a source of worry to professionals in the built environment, who expressed displeasure over government officials’ attitude to the menace, noting that there is a serious dereliction of duties, “as far as official oversight functions are concerned.”

Reacting to a statement credited to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Wasiu Anifowoshe, who stated that the last building collapse was as a result of illegality perpetrated by the developer who was accused of adding unauthorised storey level to the existing building, experts in the building sector described the statement as “unfortunate.”

Mr Dennis Nwankwo, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune on the issue, attributed incessant building collapses to what he called “dereliction of duty.”

According to him, Lagos has a special agency dedicated to monitoring of physical development in the metropolis. He asked where were government officials when the developer began building above the approved standards?

“I think there is Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), whose responsibility is to monitor physical developments across the state. So, where were they and what are they doing if they discover that some building owners are not building in line with the approved plan?” he asked.

But to another professional, Mr Jaiye Omotosho, the issue borders on professional misconduct on one hand and official compromise, with both working in what one may describe as “unholy alliance.”

“Experience has shown that while  a developer would want to cut corners by paying little to get the best, civil servants, saddled with oversight responsibilities would not hesitate to make money by closing their eyes to professional infractions.

“While one may not be surprised by the pronouncement of the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, being the usual game blame when things go awry, it should be clear that developers and professionals that are executing the projects cannot be absolved from these untidy developments,” he said.

Responders whenever issues of building collapse comes up have been officials  from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Red Cross, LASAMBUS, LASTMA, police, and other emergency agencies who are usually at hand to engage in rescue mission, although, sometimes belated.

What hinders rescue efforts on many occasions is the inability of the emergency equipment to access the scene of the collapsed building, owing to the haphazard manner houses were built in many areas, especially, in places like Lagos Island.