The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Be careful with rat poison, pest controllers tell public

    The Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) has called on Nigerians to be  cautious using rodenticides (rat poisons) as rodents control measure in their buildings and vicinity, especially in the wake of the Lassa fever outbreak which has made rodents control more pertinent.

    According to Dr. Kehinde Kembonta of the Department of Zoology, University of Lagos, pests are organisms found in the wrong place at a particular time. They are destructive and unwanted organisms that are harmful to plants and animals. Included in this category are rodents, fungi, nematodes, weed, bacteria, and mycotoxins.

    Kembonta identified Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis, trichinosis, typhoid, dysentery and Lassa fever as some infectious diseases carried by rodents. Mouse urine, she further explained, can trigger asthma in sensitive people.

    She said rodents were the most stubborn pest, as they make babies fast, and are most active at night.

    PECAN President Ayo Ogunyadeka said: “Anticipate that many Nigerians will rush to procure rodenticides, which are brazenly displayed on roadsides and shops by quacks as the fears of Lassa fever epidemic spread across the country.”

    Rodenticides are pesticides that kill rodents. Rodents include not only rats and mice, but also squirrels, porcupines, and grass-cutters, among others. All rodenticides can be toxic when eaten. Most rodenticides are also toxic when inhaled and when they come into contact with skin, Ogunyadeka added.

    He said to effectively combat Lassa fever, which virus is borne by rodents, it is best to deploy an Integrated Pest Management Approach (IPM) that includes chemical and non chemical methods.

    Another effective way to rodent control is the removal of internal feeding sites, such as spillage immediately, avoiding  overflowing waste bins and stagnant water.

    According to Ogunyadeka, there is the need to conduct regular internal inspections of possible harbourage sites, including voids above ceilings, ventilation ducts, lift shafts, cavity walls and partitions. He also advised that Nigerians should ensure good cleaning routines and removal of damaged containers and products, and give appropriate access for cleaning and inspection.

  • Maintain status quo, court tells parties in 1004 estate suit

    A Lagos High Court has extended Justice Candide Johnson’s order on  “control and management of 1004 estates by 1004 Estates Limited over the entire parcel of land known as 1004 estates, Victoria Island, Lagos.”

    The order of January 22, 2016, which further restrained the leaders of home owners and Residents Associations (HORA), its appointees and agents (including the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps) from presence and any activity on the 1004 Estate. The leaders of 1004 HORA and its agents were also restrained from collecting any monies, including service or electricity charges on the estate.

    After listening to arguments at the resumed hearing, Justice Candide Johnson stated that “there is no dispute that the police, whose further presence or activity was specifically restrained in relation to their involvement with the respondents and in connection with the contractual relationships between the parties herein, nevertheless went into the disputed property after 22/1/2016 court order.

    “Without prejudice to the lawful exercise by the police of their powers, there is need for this court to be fully, properly and formally appraised of the reason for the presence of the police at the property in the face of the court order. This is because if the policehad not gone back into the premises against the contents of the order, perhaps there would have been no confrontation of the type that appears to have resulted thereafter.”

    The new order further requires the police to justify its actions at the next court sitting on February 5, 2016. The court order also maintaining the status of control and management of the estate by 1004 estates limited and restraining collection of any service charges or electricity charges by 1004 HORA or its agents was similarly extended to the next sitting tomorrow.

    The judgement is the latest in finding a solution to the lingering feud brewing between 1004 Limited, managers of the estate and residents of the estate.

    While the manager is raising the alarm over the failure of the residents to honour their part of the agreement and forcefully seeking to take over the estate, the residents differ, alleging that 1004 Limited has not been fair in the management of the property.

  • Akwa Ibom renovates 10th Anniversary building

    Akwa Ibom renovates 10th Anniversary building

    Once a hide out for miscreants and destitutes for many years, The Tenth Anniversary Hotel Complex in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital is now back to life.

    This comes on the heels of a massive renovation executed by the Akwa Ibom State government.

    With this renovation, The Tenth Anniversary Hotel Complex, located on the Sir Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, has left many in awe considering its previous state.

    Governor Emmanuel Udom, while inspecting the complex, expressed satisfaction at the level of work carried out on the building.

    He praised the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr. Enobong Uwah and his counterpart in the Ministry of Special Duties,  Etido Inyang, for a job well done.

    Udom said with the completion of the renovation, ministries, agencies and parastatals occupying rented apartments would be accommodated in the building.

    He, however, declined to disclose the cost of renovation of the once moribund complex.

  • Surveryors urge govt to involve experts in policy matters

    Participants at a public lecture by the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) have advocated the involvement of professionals in to end are policy formulation and execution sustainable growth and development.

    They spoke at the 11th Annual Surveyor Adekunle Kukoyi Memorial Lecture in Lagos, which had Landscape: Challenges and Responsibilities for African Future as its theme.

    Ambassador Oladapo Fafowora, who chaired the event, said: “It is my impression that professional associations are not accorded the desired attention; very often, they are not consulted on policy matters that affect them, or that are of direct interest to them,” noting that professional association should not be seen as adversaries, but rather as partners in progress.

    Following this path, Fafowora argued, will ensure that the country is moved further towards a corporate system of governance, in which the private sector, surveyors and other professional bodies, is taken seriously by the government and their views taken into account in policy formulation.

    NIS Chairman, Lagos Chapter, Mr. Gbenga Alara, extolled the legacies of the late surveyor, Adekunle Kukoyi, adding that the lecture series in his honour have significantly contributed to setting agenda for national development. Besides, the series is also aimed at stimulating thoughts and imaginations of Nigerians towards a better and saner country.

    Similarly, NIS National President Mr. Ben Omo-Akhigbe urged the practitioners to be diligent in their endeavours and strive to be leaders of people just like the late Kukoyi, who, he said, rejected government’s appointment to ensure that things were done professionally.

    “If Kukoyi wanted to satisfy personal interest, he wouldn’t have rejected the offer to be the surveyor-general of Lagos State,” Omo-Akhigbe said.

    The guest lecturer at the event, Prof Gabriel Ogunmola, who is also the Chancellor, Lead University, Ibadan Oyo State, said strong measures, including rebuilding of public institutions, should be introduced to address the challenge posed by corruption to Nigeria’s prosperity, stability and security.

    He regretted that the humongous amount so far discovered in the arms purchase scandal involving the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and other prominent Nigerians was a national shame.

  • Govt allays traders’ fear over Ogunpa market

    Govt allays traders’ fear over Ogunpa market

    Two decades after it was destroyed by flood, the Ogunpa market in Ibadan, Oyo State is to get a facelift.  It is being reconstructed by the government through public-private partnership (PPP) with Kamiluiz Nigeria Limited. On completion, it is expected to accommodate over 1,000 shops, as well as modern facilities, such as an automated motor park and spaces for food vendors.

    According to Mr. Segun Abolarinwa, who represented Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the government decided to adopt the PPP model for the development of the market in the face of current economic realities. The project, which is said to be in line with the vision of the governor to transform the state, is to be completed before the end of the year.

    The government’s resolve to transform the market through PPP generated tension between the traders and other stakeholders. Some of the traders expressed fears that since the project would be executed by a private developer, they might not be able to afford the cost of the shops, which they said might be too exorbitant.

    Besides, they are worried that the original traders ma y be shut out on completion of the market with the shops allocated to  the affluent.

    These fears were, however, assuaged at a meeting attended by representatives of the government; the Chairman, Oyo State Market Advisory Council, Alhaji Dauda Oladapo; his deputy, Mrs. Abake Lawal and other market leaders.

    “I want to assure the stakeholders that no underhand dealings will be permitted in the course of the project and in the allocation of the shops. No individual will be allowed to acquire multiple shops to the detriment of others,” he explained.

    Abolarinwa said the Market Advisory Council and the executive members of the Ogunpa Market Traders Association would be involved in the allocation of the shops upon completion. He also assured that upon completion, the state government would employ facility managers for the market.

    The Managing Director of the firm handling the project, Alhaji Kamil Orotoye, said the project would last for six months, urging marketers to be patient. He said on completion, it would improve the socio-economic status of the state.

    “The government is going to employ people who will be working in the complex. It will add to the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). We are going to build police station for safety of our people, sick bay (clinic), fire station, toilet and other amenities for the usefulness of our people. Everything will be present in the complex because it is designed to be of international standard. We will complete it within six months and I am assuring you that it will be offered to the occupants and not politicians,” he assured.

    Ogunpa market before now was a major concern to government and the people of the state because of the challenges facing the market. Such challenges included security, defecating in open places which cause diseases, having more than 12 to 15 shops by one individual while others are struggling to own one, selling on the roadside, and disrupting free flow of traffic in that axis.

  • Driving urban renewal with real estate investment

    Driving urban renewal with real estate investment

    With the drop in their allocations, some states are taking advantage of investments in the property sector to grow their revenue and facilitate urban renewal, MUYIWA LUCAS reports 

    These  are trying times for the  economy, especially with the crash in oil prices. The ripple effect, for a country like Nigeria that is 90 per cent dependent on oil, is that the monthly federal allocation to states has dwindled in the last three months.

    For instance, between last October and December, the net earnings from the federation account for some states showed that Lagos got N5.8 billion, N6.7 billion and N5.9 billion. Ogun, N1.4 billion, N2 billion and N1.3 billion; Kano, N4.2 billion, N4.8 billion and N3.9 billion; and Imo, N2 billion, N2.7 billion and N1.9 billion.

    For proactive states, one area that they have been able to capitalise on as a buffer is investment in real estate. This serves a two-way prong approach for the state’s development- urban renewal and revenue drive.

    One state that has keyed into this is Ondo. The ‘Sunshine State’ as it is referred to, is a predominantly civil service state, accounting for its low revenue earning from economic activities. But that is set to change now.

    This comes on the heels of its over N10 billion investment in an event centre, known as the Glass Hall Event Centre. This is the second phase of yet another edifice, that is, “The Dome”, which is said to be about 77 per cent completed.

    The Glass Hall Event Centre was designed and built by Messrs Groupo Systemso of Spain. It sits on a 36.05-hectare of land. It is built of combined steel and glass materials, with little cement works. Besides, it consists of two galleries, with the bigger gallery having a capacity of over 2, 000 and the other with a 420- sitting capacity; large screen for multi-media purposes and  a car park of 1,000 vehicles at a time; fire-fighting equipment, such as smoke detectors, sprinkler and toilet facilities as strategic locations.

    Others are two units of 1250KVA and one unit 750 KVA of generators; 100, 000 cubit feet water storage; chalets, amongst others. On completion of the complex, at the roundabout entrance, a dancing fountain, said to be a replica of the one in Dubai, would be sited. This is expected to also generate a lot of revenue for that country.

    The property is located at the Alagbaka Government Reservation Area GRA, Akure Township, and is said to be constructed to meet the unexpected high demands by the public. When fully operational, the centre is expected to generate an average of N45 million monthly from hall rentals alone. This is outside the use of other facilities that will attract revenue.

    The Director, Planning, Research and Strategy, Ministry of Housing & Urban Development,  Joseph Babalola, noted that based on the unfolding realities in the state, there was need for event centres that are of international standard. This reasoning may not be faulted given that at the Nigerian Society of Engineers’ conference held in Akure last year, accommodating over 5, 000 delegates was an issue. This is why the state now plans to develop a five-star hotel directly opposite the centre.

    “Apart from that, we discovered that the week-long event overstretched the available hotels in Akure, thus, forcing participants to look for accomodation in the adjoining cities, such as Ado Ekiti, Owo, Ondo and other places. It was this reality that made the government to conclude the plan for a five-star hotel that would be sited opposite the event centre,” Babalola said.

    The ripple effect of this centre, whose conception started in 2010, is the new wave of urban renewal activities in the city. For instance, the location of Shoprite in Akure was said to have been influenced by its proximity to The Dome complex. This has also been complemented by infrastructure provision, such as road expansion and construction. For instance, from the centre to Shoprite, and also to Idanre Hill, and the 18-hole golf course golf in Ilara, it all falls within 30 to 35 km, that is 15 to 20 minutes drive from the farthest point from the centre.

    “Because in a situation where we are having a programme that will accommodate like 5,000 participants, there will be a need to provide at least 5,000 beds, apart from the drivers and the aid that will come with those people. The multiplied effect will be telling a lot on the economy of the land. It will be increasing the economy that it will become more buoyant. The hotel that people will lodge in will get paid, other services will also be affected, the caterers and even recharge cards sellers; so it is a huge turnover of business,” Babalola, who is also the Project Director, explained.

    Plans are afoot to employ a facility manager for the project.

    In Ogun State, as part of its urban renewal programme, the government last week relocated villagers at Itoku-Elewe Irepodun on the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway to a new settlement in the area, where it has built 96 modern houses for them.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, explained that the relocation of the villagers became necessary as the Governor Ibikunle Amosun-led administration opened up the area with a housing estate as part of its urbanisation initiative.

    “There were 46 mud structures with small wooden box windows inhabited by the villagers who are mainly farmers on that land. With coming of the estate, Governor Amosun decided to relocate the villagers with the provision of three-bedroom flats for each household,” he said.

    Similarly, the Lagos State Government, to create a better state, where infrastructure would not be only adequate but be of standard befiting the status of Lagos as mega-city has commenced the review of Ikeja Model City Plan, which became operational in 2010.

    The review of the Plan, according to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Wasiu Anifowoshe, was to ascertain the level of compliance with the provisions of the plan and improve on its gains.

    The commissioner said the exercise would involve, among others, the evaluation of the level of performance in the area of infrastructural provision, conflict of land uses, transportation, sanitation, security, housing, population, recreation and tourism.

    This initiative by the Lagos State government was part of its urban renewal initiative which has seen the creation of business districts across the state.

  • Court to determine ownership of Tafawa Balewa Square

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos yesterday granted the High Court of Lagos State the jurisdiction to determine the ownership of the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

    The Lagos State Government, in suit No. M/940/2009, Attorney General of Lagos State vs. BHS International Limited & three others, pending at the High Court of Lagos State, had challenged the concessionary rights purportedly given to a private company, BHS International Limited, to manage, re-develop or rehabilitate  the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) without the state’s authority or knowledge.  The said concession was carried out by the Federal Government on October 17, 2007 during the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration.

    BHS International Limited, Attorney General of the Federation and other Defendants in the suit by way of preliminary objections in the lower court had challenged the jurisdiction of the Lagos State High Court to entertain the suit.  Justice  Atinuke Ipaye on October 8, 2012 had ruled that the High Court of Lagos State has jurisdiction to entertain the case.

    Dissatisfied with the ruling, BHS International Limited and Attorney General of the Federation in their various appeals  numbers: CA/L/914/12, BHS International Limited vs. Attorney General of Lagos State &  three others and CA/L/287M/13, Attorney General of the Federation vs. Attorney General of Lagos State & three others, filed their various  appeals against the Ruling.

    The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision, dismissed the appeals and affirmed the ruling of the High Court of Lagos State that it has jurisdiction to entertain the case.

    With yesterday’s ruling, the coast is now clear for the High Court of Lagos State to continue with the hearing of the matter which has been stalled since 2012.

  • Govt urged to diversify into forest conservation

    The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called on the Federal Government to consider the exploration of forest conservation.

    The body urged the government to bridge the legal framework gap in assigning economic value to individual species of the ecosystem, having witnessed severe exploitation over the last 60 years without replanting.

    President, NCF Board of Trustees, Izoma Asiodu, made this call  at the 14th Memorial Lecture in honour of Chief S. L. Edu, in Lagos.

    The lecture had as theme: “Economic valuation of Nigeria’s forest.”

    According to Asiodu, to mitigate the  effect of dwindling oil price, Nigeria could diversify the economy by looking in the direction of agriculture and solid minerals as enable alternative income.

    And with the abundance of forests, Asiodu said it is the responsibility of the NCF to guide decision makers on the economic valuation of such forests to stimulate the necessary investments for its protection and restoration, and by extension, preserving the ecosystem.

    The gradual extinction of forestry, he added, leaves a damaging impact both economically and in terms of human lives.

    The guest lecturer, Labode Popoola, a Professor of Forest Economics, said conservation of forestry has multifarious uses, ranging from environmental functions to economic, socio-cultural services, scenic and landscape functions. “There are wide varieties of other goods and services produced in the forest and a variety of other tree configurations on farms ranging from livestock fodder and quality water, to recreational, aesthetic and environmental benefits,” he said.

    Popoola noted that the rate of deforestation is about 3.5 per cent yearly, equivalent to a loss of 350,000 hectares of forest land. He lamented that some state governments encroach on protected area status of forest estates without regard for the environment and the laws establishing such estates.

    “The state Forestry Departments have been unable to curtail the spate of requests to establish large-scale oil palm and other plantations in forest estates. The unfortunate impression that has thus been created is that the forest estate exists as a land bank for other sectors as demands continue to rise nationwide.

    “Nigerian forests and forestry are thus at crossroads in spite of the huge potential for contribution to the economy, social and environmental sustainability,” he said.

  • Builders on the importance of foundations

    The importance of foundation laying in a building was the focus of discussion at a stakeholders’ forum organised for foundation laying experts and other artisans involved in building by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Kosofe Cell.

    According to the Coordinator, BCPG, Kosofe Cell, Mrs. Jane Ogbu, the forum was imperative given the need to enlighten the public on the importance of a good foundation to the longevity of a building, especially as collapses had become big threat to the construction industry.

    Experts in the profession as well as other stakeholders agreed that the quality of a building’s foundation was one of the major causes of building collapse.

    President, Nigeria Institution of Structural Engineers, Mr. Oreoluwa Fadayomi, noted that the majority of the people were in the dark as to the availability of foundation laying specialists.

    He, therefore, counselled prospective property owners to cultivate the culture of employing experts to handle their construction, especially the foundation because not all builders were specialists in foundation construction.

    “There’s a need for public education when it comes to foundation; people need to know that there are experts who are skilled in knowing the types of soil and the kind of foundation that should be used when building on different types of soil to avoid structural failure,” Fadayomi said.

    He further explained that the first step to take when building was to investigate the soil, irrespective of the project size. This is because no two soils are the same. Besides, he revealed that a site can have different soil even on the same plot of land; hence, every soil must be investigated and this can only be done by the appropriate expert. The cost of soil test is estimated to cost about one per cent of the total cost of construction.

    Participants noted that implementation of policies and laws remained a major challenge in the construction sector.

    A Senior Research Officer with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NCRRI), Mr. Edom Atomem, said the institute has conducted research and written several reports on how to reduce structural failures, but that nothing had been done.

    Similarly, the National President, BCPG, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, confirmed that failed foundation is a common feature in building collapse.

    “Building collapse has become a menace in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, which has the highest incidents in the world. This should be an embarrassment to those who construct foundations such as geo-technicians,” he said.

    Awobodu blames the dearth of drilling artisans on the improperly organised trade, adding that it has made quacks to have a field day.

    An Assistant Director with the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mr. Gbolahan Oki, said there was the need for professionals to work together and transfer their knowledge to the younger generation to arrest the ugly situation of failed structures.

  • How town planning can benefit society, by practitioners

    The real estate sector is estimated to hit  $13.6 billion this year, accounting for 7.6 per cent of the gross domestic product. This may be good news for investors, but experts are calling for caution, writes MUYIWA LUCAS

    Town Planers have identified some of the profession’s challenges and proffered the way out.

    The Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), at a colloquium  in Lagos, promised to make its activities more visible for the benefit of all.

    The theme of the seminar was: Making town planning more visible, with sub-themes on “The planning profession and the state of the nation; challenges of practice; Branding the profession; and technology and planning.”

    Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Waheed Kadiri, said one of the challenges of the profession is the government’s attitude and the low appreciation of urban  and regional planning.

    Kadiri,  a past president of NITP, regretted that planning is remembered when there is need to blame someone or a group, adding that when decisions  are taken, budgets are proposed and decisions are taken, they are mostly done without consideration for urban and regional planning implications.

    “There is also the problem of political interference rather than intervention in the planning process to the detriment of the resulting planning actions and a perverted perception of what planning is all about,” he said.

    Also, a former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, rued the desperation to make money at all cost without observing the professional steps, and lack of discipline among professionals were major issues that needed to be addressed.

    Ayinde urged professionals in the public service to fast-track  approval of  plans submitted to them by their colleagues in the private practice provided  that required document are submitted and laid down rules are followed.

    “Communal success is the only thing that is sustainable. You must assist your colleagues to make them succeed and make planning profession successful. Practitioners in the public service should seek synergy among those in the private service for good success of the profession,” he advised, adding that through this effort, the profession would be better appreciated.

    Similarly, a Town Planner with the Lagos State  Government, Mr. Tunji Badejo, argued that the loss of values, lack of understanding, scarcity of information and data for planning, the band wagon effect and lackadaisical attitude, all pose challenges for the profession.

    Immediate past president, Association of Town Planners Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Mr. Moses Ogunleye, said the state of the industry on policies’ inconsistencies; training of town planners, running-down-yourself syndrome and negative perspective of image of town planners by the public have affected the profession.

    A media don, Prof Lai Oso, urged the institute to be pro-active in reacting to public issues.

    The position to be taken by the body, Oso explained, must be articulate and communicate the values of town planners to the public.

    Town Planners, he said, should  up their game to compete favourably with other professions in the built environment.

    He listed the need to explore other professions, effective communication, adherence to code of conduct and monitoring among others as brand strategies needed to promote town planning profession.