Woji Building collapse: Quacks have taken over the building industry – Falana

Lagos lawyer Femi Falana yesterday took a look at building industry and lamented that the area is dominated by unqualified professionals.

He decried poor regulatory function of Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), following the collapse of a seven-storey building in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

According to TheNation, Falana, who spoke yesterday during the 2018 Builders Conference organised by CORBON in Abuja, stressed that the project contractor and River State government would be challenged in court to ensure that the perpetrators of building collapse are brought to justice.

He noted that unlike other professions like Law and Medicine, where quacks are arrested on regular basis, the builders were yet to rid the profession of unqualified personnel.

His words: “As we are gathered here this morning, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and firefighters are busy trying to save the lives of not less than 100 people trapped in the rumbles of a collapsed seven-storey building in Port Harcourt, River State.

“While we are full of prayers for the trapped victims of the collapsed building, I am going to challenge the organisation and River State government to ensure those who are responsible for this avoidable disaster are brought to book, sanctioned and prosecuted so that their case can serve as a deterrent for other criminal elements, who are busy erecting buildings all over in deference of all building laws and regulations.”

The lawyer lamented how the building sector has been dominated by unregistered foreign professionals, who are not recognised by the council.

According to Falana, people often hire foreigners to lobby for contracts, even at the state level, to beat off rivals.

Falana urged CORBON to take advantage of the enacted regulation as well as the recent Presidential Executive Order 5 to sanitise the industry.

Falana advised state governments to replicate the Executive Order 5 at the state level, stressing that the order is not illegal.

He noted that without adequate training and retraining, the order might be fruitless.

“The scope of the Executive Order 5 says all procuring entities should give preference to local contractors and I am sure this should be extended to your organisation. Local firms must be fully considered in building projects execution,” he said.

He urged the council to monitor Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) to achieve the aims of the order.

On the issuance of visas to foreign workers, Falana described the act by the Ministry of Interior as illegal and it should be prohibited.

He said where indigenous labour is available, visas should not be given to foreigners to take job of Nigerians.

The senior lawyer added that foreign professional certificates should be domesticated before contracts are awarded to them.

“By next year, we will begin implementation of the law to ensure public buildings are adjusted to accommodate the physically-challenge in the country, starting from Lagos,” Falana added.

On Boko Haram attack on the military, Falana said soldiers, who ought to be on guard protecting the nation’s territory jurisdictions, were busy mounting road blocks across the highways.

He challenged the military to stay-off on election day and leave the job for the Mobile Police Unit.

He offered to support the council to enforce provisions of its regulatory functions.

“Nowhere in the world will you see the military manage election; it’s a sign of under-development.

“Just few days ago, over 100 soldiers were massacred by these satanic Boko Haram. I have defended many of the soldiers that are put on trial in the last four years.

“I can say this, today many of the soldiers that should be at the war front are doing police work in not less than 30 states in the country, mounting road blocks. Why do we have the mobile police?” Falana stated.

CORBON Chairman Prof. Kabiru Bala said the conference was meant to converge all stakeholders, including students and researchers, on challenges confronting the building industry.

He said the event became necessary, considering the spate of building collapses in the country and issues bothering on standardisation, building materials and roles of skillful artisans to check the menace.

Minister of State for Power Works and Housing Hassan Zarma said the building sector has significant roles to play in job creation.

He attributed this to why the private sector was brought on board, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, to drive employment and put an end to building collapse.

Zarma, who was represented by Abiodun Sanni, urged professional builders to adhere to the building code and the building standards to prevent reoccurring of collapsed building nationwide.