There is need for domestication of building code to halt structural failures —Majekodunmi

David Majekodumi, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Kenning Homes, is the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos State Chapter. In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, he is of the opinion that speedy passage of the National Building Code and its domestication by the state governments would help solve the incessant collapse of buildings in the bud.

 

People have talked so much about the National Building Code, what is spectacular about this document?

The building code was drafted in 1986, 20 years after Dr Olusegun Mimiko as Minister of Housing and Urban Development signed it. Up till this moment, there has not been an enabling law to make it legal. But along the line, it has been reviewed by the professional bodies in the construction industry up to 2014. The building code applies in every country of the world. It gives the minimum requirements for the materials to be used, the workmanship and the quality. It is divided into four stages: Pre design, design, construction and post construction.  It gives a minimum requirement and each state needs to domesticate it. When it is domesticated, it becomes building regulations.  I have the British one here and it goes into series, maybe about 26 sessions. It gives all requirements needed for any project’s construction both above the ground and below the ground, even on the sea but not on the air. Not only that, it specifically says the roles of every professional in the construction industry.

 

Are you saying there is no enactment to make it binding and what are your colleagues in the industry doing to see that the document becomes an enabling law?

The professional bodies in the industry have done a lot, even to the point of lobbying and all of that. And because of the incident of building collapse that happened three weeks ago and last week, we had in the news that the document has gone through the first reading in the National Assembly. If not for the incident, maybe it is a wakeup call to the National Assembly to do the needful and make sure they pass an enabling law to make the National Building Code effective. It is just like the NAFDAC number. For you to produce anything consumable there must be a NAFDAC number. It also states in terms of the quality and in terms of the tradesmen to be used.

I have a position paper here which is about 22 pages concerning my position on the incident of building collapse. You can imagine three buildings collapsed within the last two, three weeks. I mean between November 1 and 18, 2021 – the 21-storey building in Garrard road, one after Lekki and the one that  happened in Badagry.

I have taken the pains in looking at the building code and in creating awareness to the people. When you look at the first stage, it is very explanatory. It talks about pre-design, design, construction and post construction. The moment the building code is domesticated, everybody can see it and will be able to say in the language the indigenes would understand.

 

Don’t you foresee rivalry among the stakeholders in domesticating the building code?

No, there is no difficulty. Lagos State has always remained a pacesetter. Unfortunately, the building registration we have in place is not comprehensive.  In domesticating it, the responsibility is not from the federal and state governments. The moment it is domesticated, the professionals and all concerned will be held responsible.

 

What does domesticating it entail?

When you are talking about domesticating it, this is what it entails: When you are constructing in Victoria Island or Ikoyi, it is different from when you are constructing in Agege. The proximity where the last incident in Ikoyi happened, the water level there is very low. So the kind of foundation you will use in that area is different from the kind of foundation you will use in Abeokuta or Agege because of the solid ground.

Not only that, if you look at the wind in Victoria Island or Ikoyi, it is different from the kind of wind you will get in those areas. The kind of wind you get in Ikoyi comes with salt; so that is why the building code will tell you the quality of materials. So if the document is domesticated or localised, it tells you precisely what materials you will use in Yaba, which are different from the kind of materials you will use in Ikoyi.