Why building collapses are all too common in Lagos

The rising presumption of Lagos arsenic an emerging megacity and a commercialized nervus halfway successful sub-Saharan Africa has travel with a fig of challenges. One of these is the information of buildings.

Building collapses are communal successful Lagos—hardly a twelvemonth passes by without cases. Some person resulted successful the nonaccomplishment of galore lives. For instance, it was reported that 115 buildings, mostly residential, collapsed successful Lagos betwixt 2005 and 2016. And astir 4,000 families person been near stateless and traumatized.

I undertook a study to analyse the trends and causes of this occupation successful Lagos. I wanted to recognize the catastrophe hazard simplification measures enactment successful spot by the authorities authorities to forestall and respond to gathering collapse. My purpose was to supply accusation for a argumentation effect to forestall and mitigate these disasters.

It emerged that lapses from some backstage developers and the authorities contributed to the problem. The solutions prevarication successful awareness, skills, pursuing regulations and making definite determination are consequences for failures.

Building collapse

I obtained information from built situation professionals specified arsenic architects, builders, structural engineers, municipality planners, property surveyors and valuers. These professionals were from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Safety Commission, and those successful backstage practice. I chose these respondents to get nonrecreational insights connected the taxable substance done in-depth interviews.

Data presented successful my caller article showed that buildings collapsed yearly the state. The highest fig of cases successful Lagos were reported successful 2011, 2012 and 2019, erstwhile 19, 14, and 17 buildings, respectively, collapsed.

Out of 152 buildings that collapsed successful Lagos betwixt 2005 and 2020, 76.6% were residential, 13% were commercialized and 9.4% were institutional. Most of the buildings that collapsed are typically multi-storey buildings.

These cases of gathering illness were owed to:

• Unqualified oregon unskilled builders.
• Substandard gathering materials.
• Illegal conversion oregon alterations to existing structures.
• Lack of maintenance.

Respondents I interviewed said that collapses were straight linked to greed and ignorance of the developers successful complaint of gathering operation successful the state. They besides stated that ineffective monitoring of gathering improvement was a contributor. This was due to the fact that of deficiency of manpower and insufficient tools. Corruption of authorities officials successful complaint of gathering program support was besides a starring origin that respondents mentioned.

Disaster hazard simplification practices

The Lagos authorities authorities acceptable up 4 agencies to show gathering improvement from plan signifier done operation to completion. They are: Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, which was established successful 1998; Lagos State Building Control Agency, which officially started successful August 2012; Lagos State Material Testing Laboratory, established successful 2006 and Lagos State Safety Commission which was inaugurated successful 2009.

But immoderate of the gathering situation professionals I interviewed told maine that the agencies successful complaint of gathering improvement were abbreviated staffed. They besides said the agencies did not person capable vehicles to adequately show operation projects successful Lagos State.

The 2010 municipality and determination readying and improvement instrumentality of Lagos empowers the state government to instrumentality possession of a spot wherever a gathering illness has occurred. The affected spot will, however, not beryllium taken implicit by the authorities if the proprietor tin beryllium that the responsibility is the developer's mediocre judgment.

The authorities besides has powers to prosecute the gathering developers and operation engineers; and necessitate that the nonrecreational bodies prehend oregon retreat the licenses of erring professionals. The implementation of these penalties, however, remains questionable. There is small oregon nary grounds that specified penalties person been meted retired to defaulters successful the past.

I concluded that gathering illness is caused by lapses from some the backstage developers and the government.

Way forward

Citizens, built situation professionals and authorities indispensable enactment to forestall the communal occupation of gathering illness successful Lagos, and Nigeria generally. The liable government agencies and nonrecreational bodies indispensable make consciousness of the request to get readying support earlier building. They indispensable besides importune connected the request to prosecute professionals successful the operation of buildings.

State governments indispensable money each the agencies successful complaint of building. They indispensable besides guarantee that susceptible and qualified professionals are employed to guarantee implementation of gathering codification regulations. This would spell a agelong mode towards effectual and businesslike gathering improvement successful the full country. Equally important is the proviso of modern facilities specified arsenic drones and GPS for effectual monitoring and enforcement of gathering regulations.

I besides suggest that punishment specified arsenic dense fines, forfeiture of spot and jailhouse presumption should beryllium meted retired to immoderate professionals oregon spot owners who contravene building power regulations oregon prosecute successful unethical practices that could pb to the illness of buildings.

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