Stakeholders in the engineering sector have identified the lack of effective engineering administration as a major contributor to the incidences of building collapse in the country.
They made this known at the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers 5th Engr. Umar Jibrin Distinguished Annual Public Lecture on Saturday in Abuja.
The lecture had as its theme: “Effective Engineering Administration as a Panacea for Building and Infrastructure Collapse”.
It was organised by NICE in honour of Jibrin, who dedicated decades of engineering skills to national development.
Ogun 2024: Esther Mba Reacts After Straight-Set Victory Over Anambra In Beach Volleyball
Ogun Outclass Adamawa 62–45 in Men’s Basketball Opener
The keynote speaker, Prof. Okorie Uche, Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, said building collapse was a national concern.
He attributed it to the absence of qualified supervision, use of substandard materials, lack of enforcement of regulations, inadequate or expired structural designs, corruption in planning approvals, and poor maintenance culture.
“From residential building to bridge, roads, grid failure and public infrastructure failure, Nigeria has witnessed numerous catastrophic failures; these incidents are not merely accidents but symptoms of systematic problems demanding urgent attention.
“From statistics, 80 per cent of infrastructure failures were from private developers , that is where the problem is ,thus the need to bring them on board,’’ he said.
According to Uche, engineering administration is the backbone of any successful infrastructure project as it encompasses planning, research allocation, project management, policy implementation, and adherence to regulatory standard.
He said that when executed properly, it ensured that engineering projects met global standards of quality, durability, and safety.
“Every collapse is a failure of administration, a betrayer of trust, and an erosion of hope. We must rise to change this narrative. We must insist on professionalism over patronage
“We must prioritise long-term safety over short-term profits. We must empower engineers not to just build but to lead.Related News
Add Comment