The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Show more concern for environment, Ambode urges residents

    Show more concern for environment, Ambode urges residents

    LAGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged the public to work towards attaining sustainable environment.

    He spoke during the World Environment Day (WED) with the theme: “Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with care.”

    The governor noted that the new perspective of the world is that ecology and economics are two sides of the same coin, adding that it is impossible to continue to do business at the expense of nature without compromising the sustainability of its resources.

    “If the environment is not in harmony with our ambition, then we must change our ambition to be in perfect harmony with the environment. This is the wisdom we require to live peacefully on earth. We recognise the fact that mother earth can survive without us but we cannot survive without her,” he said.

    The governor enjoined Lagosians to rise up and save the environment so that people can enjoy healthy and sustainable life on the planet, adding that the alteration in the environment was affecting the wellbeing of people every single moment.

    He said: “To solve the problems of the environment, everyone on earth must act; it is not the government business, it is not some people’s business, it is everybody’s business. It is one world, one environment; the problems of the environment transcends boundary. An error by one is a serious concern for all.”

    Ambode noted that this year’s theme was instructive because it is about resource efficiency and sustainable consumption, especially with the world’s population estimated at over seven billion.

    “The food we eat, the materials we use for diverse purposes, our shelter and many more are all from this same planet. It is evident that we are consuming more than the planet can sustainably provide. It is only reasonable for us to ensure that we do it with care and conserve,” the governor urged.

    Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Hakeem Ogunbambi,  said the state government had prioritised the environment through policies and programmes such as the institutionalisation of tree planting exercise with over five million trees planted to date, landscaping and beautification of open spaces, international summit on climate change, launching of climate change clubs in Lagos schools, improved waste management, renewable energy, drainage construction and waste water management.

    The World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 yearly. It was celebrated for the first time in 1973 with “Only one earth” as theme.

  • Artisans, others educated on standards

    In furtherance of its drive to ensure quality in the built environment, Lafarge Africa, manufacturers of Elephant Cement and Elephant Supaset, at the weekend organised a training session / seminar for blockmoulders under the aegis of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON), in Sango Ota, Ogun State. The theme of the seminar was “Standard Quality Blocks in Construction.”The seminar was meant to enlighten artisans on best practices in the use of cement for block moulding. It was also aimed at appraising quality procedure for production of concrete blocks; identifying functional requirements for block moulding and to discuss the importance of quality control as it relates to the production of sandcrete blocks.

    The Relationship Manager, Block making and Precast section, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Soji Okesina, said after a thorough research by his firm, it was discovered that there was a need for a special purpose product for block moulding, hence the launch of ‘Elephant SUPASET’ in December 2010, to meet the specific needs of block moulders.

    Besides, Okesina said that the training, which will be spread round the country, became necessary because the block moulders represented the most important stakeholder in the building industry, accounting for about 40 per cent of its product usage.

    The training also emphasised the need for strict adherence to standard as prescribed by the standards organisation of Nigeria (SON), and also on the benefits of a good sandcrete block which are durability, safety, and sustainability, amongst others.

    The national president of NABMON, Alhaji Rasheed Adebowale, who disclosed that his members account for 66 per cent consumption of cement daily usage. He praised the company for the seminar  because “it will go a long way in creating awareness especially for new members.”

    In a  similar vein, the Ogun State chairman of the association, High Chief Olusanya, commended the effort of Lafarge for the training,saying the seminar will change their attitude towards block moulding. According to him, the Elephant Supaset is the best product for them. He advised the company to sustain the seminar because it has impacted so much on them and their businesses.

  • Lagos partners local govts to stop drainage blockage

    The Lagos State Government  will involve local government chairmen and Community Development Associations (CDAs) in ensuring that drainage channels are not blocked in the state.

    The effort will also help sensitise the people and discourage them from dumping refuse in canals.

    Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Ayodeji Adenekan, who spoke while leading officials of the Office of Drainage Services, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, on an enlightenment tour and inspection of drainage across the state, urged residents to be conscious of their environment and cultivate the habit of proper disposal of waste.

    “Any waste that is not well disposed will return and constitute a nuisance to the neighbourhood,” he said.

    At the Morkaz/Awori collector drain in Dopemu-Agege, beside Salvation Army Nursery and Primary School and Dopemu Nursery and Primary School on Surulere Street, the drain was filled with pet bottles and other refuse, causing major impediments to free flow of flood.

    Drain workers were seen collecting from the canal. A resident, Kazeem, said the pet bottles must have come from other sources in the neighbourhood where there are markets.

    But Adenekan explained that canals flow across the state, stressing that the refuse found in one place does not mean that they were generated there.

    At the drainage in Shyllon Street, Onipanu, drainage cleaners were at work, clearing and repairing a damaged underground drainage on Ikorodu Road near the Shyllon junction.

    The inspection train moved to Oko-Oba primary channel,  which crosses Oyatoki Street at Oko-Oba Agege.

    “Anytime there was heavy rain, the channel will no longer be able to contain the water and it will begin to overflow causing flood as far as four houses.This recent flood was so much that it nearly drowned   a nursing mother but for the help of people around,” Kafayat, a resident, said.

    Adenekan, however, explained that the incident was a ‘flash-flood’ which happens occasionally when there is heavy rain whose volume of water was beyond the capacity of a channel; but after some hours, it will disappear.

    He said: “This situation is not peculiar to Lagos or Nigeria alone; hence it is called flash-flood.

    “The rain was falling more than the canal was flowing and normally with a flash –flood you find out that within a few hours the water will clear up.”

    The Permanent Secretary assured the residents of government’s readiness to find solutions to the problem. He cautioned them to desist from dumping refuse in the gutter or canal indiscriminately.

    Adenekan advised residents that patronise cart-pushers to desist from it because their actions constitute nuisance and threat to the efforts of the government at improving the environment because cart pushers do not have anywhere to dump their refuse but will wait till night and dump it in the canals.

    Rather, he said, residents should patronise the P.S.P operators who are licenced to collect refuse.

    “The message is that everybody should be on the alert, should watch over this canal, not only that you should not dump refuse in the canal but you should be on the alert to watch people who will do it and caution them not to dump refuse in the canal so that all of us can live peacefully,” he said.

     

  • Relocate from low-line water beds, LASG advises residents

    The Lagos State government has advised residents living in the low line (flood plains) areas to relocate as water table rises due to high intensity of rainfall

    To this end, the state government has  advised residents along low line areas and other coast lines, such as Ajegunle, Owode-Onirin axis, Owode-Elelede, Kuramo beach, Alpha beach, Okun-mapo, Okun Ajah, Mende-Maryland, Ijora-Badia and Iwaya among others to be extremely careful,  saying they may need to vacate their residences temporarily once they notice gradual accumulation of rising water.

    The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Ayodeji Adenekan, who stated this,  said this has become necessary as the state is not prepared to lose any life during the rainy period, saying they should move to higher grounds. The advice also comes on the heels of the increasing water level of the Lagos lagoon and the adjoining rivers, since the rains started in March.

    According to Adenekan, the effect of this has been that there has been a back-flow into adjoining low-line areas which has led to the inability of the various channels and drains to discharge water into the lagoons and rivers. He said Lagos, being a coastal state, is susceptible to flash floods anytime there is heavy downpour and that residents of low line areas are especially prone to the back flow effect.

    “People living in low line areas are vulnerable to flooding because the low line areas are natural flood plains which ought not to be converted to residential abodes. “However, we expect the water to recede with time”, he said, adding that primary and secondary channels in the state were being maintained and dredged to contain flood related challenges that may occur in the state.

    As the intensity of the rain increases, Adenekan assured that the state government would continue to intensify its mid rain cleaning and maintenance programme and promised not to relent until the zero tolerance target to flooding is attained in the state.

    He advised Lagosians not to panic whenever they experience accumulated water concentrated in some parts of the roads and highways, assuring that the accumulated water will recede in no time.

    ‘People living in low line areas are vulnerable to flooding because the low line areas are natural flood plains which ought not to be converted to residential abodes. However, we expect the water to recede with time’

  • Stakeholders canvass title documents’ perfection

    Stakeholders canvass title documents’ perfection

    In an effort  to identify the challenges associated with the perfection of titles and the way forward, a law firm, Tayo Tiwo and Co, in collaboration with a public affairs  consulting firm, SOFUNIX Investment and Communications, last weekend organised a one-day seminar in Lagos, with the theme: Perfection of titles in Nigeria: Issues and Resolutions.

    Resource persons and participants brainstorme discussed the following topics: “Perfection of Titles: Issues , resolutions and the role of Directorate of  Land Service “ anchored by the Lagos State Director of Land Service, Mr. Tunde Oyegbola; “Importance of Survey Plans in Perfection of Titles” by the Lagos Surveyor General and Permanent Secretary, Joseph Agbenla; “Tax Payable in Perfection of issues” anchored by the Chairman of Board of Inland Revenue, Mr. Babatunde Fowler; “Registration of Titles and Allied Matters,” by the Registrar of Titles Land Registry Directorate, Mrs. Modupe Osho-Adebiyi; “Rules and Procedures in Perfection Issues by General Counsel, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Sam Adimkamkwu among others.

    The Managing Solicitor, Tayo Tiwo and Co, Mr. Tayo Tiwo, expressed satisfaction that the workshop  addressed many grey areas that has always posed challenges to effective and efficient perfection of titles. Tiwo explained that the workshop addressed many fundamental issues, especially, delays and queries in perfection of issues among others.

    Corroborating Tiwo, the Cheif Executive Officer, SOFUNIX Investment and Communications, Mr. Sola Oni, said  the workshop could not have come at a better time in view of the continuos demand for perfection of titles in Nigeria. Oni said that the workshop leveraged on the technical, professional and experiences of the participants to find a lasting solutions to the challenges of perfection of titles in Nigeria.

     

  • N4billion lifeline for Hotel Presidential Enugu

    N4billion lifeline for Hotel Presidential Enugu

    A new lease of life is to be breathed into the Hotel Presidential, Enugu. This comes on the heels of a planned N4 billion investment on the facility by E-Hospitality Services Limited (EHSL). The Enugu State government, had in its bid to restore the lost glory of the hotel, granted a concession of the prime property to EHSL.

    According to Jedidah Promotions, the media consultant to the concessionaire, EHSL will undertake the project through a special purpose company – Primeview Hotels Limited. The firm will also engage a suitable international hotel management company to operate the hotel, post renovation.

    Primeview Hotels Limited has since taken possession of the facility and concluded preliminary surveys and assessments including a structural integrity test carried out by Sanni Ojo and Partners, a firm of structural engineers. The firm has also assembled a team of design and engineering consultants and produced a redevelopment concept. A contractor has also been mobilised to the site and has begun the stripping of the hotel in preparation for the redevelopment works.

    The Proposed Redevelopment concept involves reconfiguring and modernising the existing hotel facilities such as restaurants, conferencing facility, outdoor swimming pool, four tennis courts and increasing the stock of rooms from 100 to 150 rooms. In addition, a family leisure centre will be incorporated and the number of restaurants and other elements increased in line with the requirements of the preferred hotel manager. It is expected that the main contract for the redevelopment will be awarded in the fourth quarter of 2015 and the hotel ready to be opened by the second quarter of 2017.

    Once the pride of eastern Nigeria, the Hotel Presidential Enugu, was one of the first iconic buildings built post-independence as part of the Eastern government’s industrialisation plan created under the late Dr. Mike Okpara.  With a unique offering of recreational and lifestyle elements, the Hotel Presidential quickly became a popular destination for Nigerians and foreign visitors. The collapse of the pride of the East led the Government of Enugu state to concession the hotel to bring it back to life and upgrade it to world class standards. The Hotel sits on prime land within the Independence Layout Enugu and is approximately 15 minutes drive from the Enugu International airport.

    These memories however quickly fade once the reality of the Hotel’s current state of disrepair is revealed. Many years of poor management, particularly during the many years of military rule, culminated in a complete rundown of the Hotel and subsequent closure of the once iconic facility.

  • ‘Pre-fabricated housing saves cost’

    A building expert, Kayode Ogunlade, has urged Nigerians to embrace pre-fabricated building technology as a cheap way of building.

    The technology, he explained, involves the use of factory-built building parts which are later assembled on-site to build houses. The building parts are usually manufactured off-site in advance, in standard sections that can be easily transported and assembled on-site.

    Although this is not a very popular technology in the country, some companies have started deploying the technology in the country. Ogunlade is convinced that using this technology ensures that less money and less time is spent in construction when compared to conventional building systems.

    Due to this reduced cost, he explained, prefab homes are usually sold at affordable prices. With recent technological advancements, the builder explained that some prefab homes have been constructed at prices below N1 million. However, this feat has not been effectively reproduced in the country and there are some luxury prefab homes that come at fairly high prices.

    Ogunlade said prefab homes also have very versatile designs as building components can be assembled to build bungalows, duplexes, apartment buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants or even hotels. They also have a degree of tolerance against weather extremes as the factory-controlled manufacturing processes produce weather-resistant high quality materials.

     

  • Eko Atlantic’s road network taking shape

    Eko Atlantic’s road network taking shape

    Promoters of the Eko Atlantic City are gradually living up to their promise of a congestion-free city, which will be devoid of on-street parking and traffic congestion.

    A second entrance into the City from the Victoria Island end on Akin Adesola Road, has been opened. Experts in the built environment have commended this development, insisting that the initiative remains very crucial for development activities in the City and its environs because it will significantly reduce the drive distance for trucks carrying rocks to the sea wall, located a mile and a half offshore, thereby helping to speed up construction.

    Previously, the route from the entrance of Eko Atlantic City to the sea wall was about five kilometres. This new access reduces the distance to just two and a half kilometres. Furthermore, it provides unhindered access to the completion of road works in Phases 1 and II of Eko Atlantic.

    An official of the construction firm, who pleaded anonymity, said over the next few months, further road works will be carried out across the following Eko Atlantic city districts: Harbour Lights, Marina District (inner and outer ring roads), Downtown, Avenue 1 and Avenue 3 (with direct access to Ahmadu Bello Way).

    This work comprises the build-up of the sand sub-base in all the above areas, with laying of the crushed stone base course in the more advanced roads.

    Going by available design, the Eko Atlantic City’s main Eko Boulevard and roads is being touted to be a role model for 21st century urban planning.

    So far, over 28 kilometres of roads have been completed to stone base level and 25 kilometres have been block paved.

  • Show more concern for environment, Ambode urges residents

    Show more concern for environment, Ambode urges residents

    LAGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged the public to work towards attaining sustainable environment.

    He spoke during the World Environment Day (WED) with the theme: “Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with care.”

    The governor noted that the new perspective of the world is that ecology and economics are two sides of the same coin, adding that it is impossible to continue to do business at the expense of nature without compromising the sustainability of its resources.

    “If the environment is not in harmony with our ambition, then we must change our ambition to be in perfect harmony with the environment. This is the wisdom we require to live peacefully on earth. We recognise the fact that mother earth can survive without us but we cannot survive without her,” he said.

    The governor enjoined Lagosians to rise up and save the environment so that people can enjoy healthy and sustainable life on the planet, adding that the alteration in the environment was affecting the wellbeing of people every single moment.

    He said: “To solve the problems of the environment, everyone on earth must act; it is not the government business, it is not some people’s business, it is everybody’s business. It is one world, one environment; the problems of the environment transcends boundary. An error by one is a serious concern for all.”

    Ambode noted that this year’s theme was instructive because it is about resource efficiency and sustainable consumption, especially with the world’s population estimated at over seven billion.

    “The food we eat, the materials we use for diverse purposes, our shelter and many more are all from this same planet. It is evident that we are consuming more than the planet can sustainably provide. It is only reasonable for us to ensure that we do it with care and conserve,” the governor urged.

    Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Hakeem Ogunbambi,  said the state government had prioritised the environment through policies and programmes such as the institutionalisation of tree planting exercise with over five million trees planted to date, landscaping and beautification of open spaces, international summit on climate change, launching of climate change clubs in Lagos schools, improved waste management, renewable energy, drainage construction and waste water management.

    The World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 yearly. It was celebrated for the first time in 1973 with “Only one earth” as theme.

  • Housing deficit: FMBN explores ‘renovation loan’ option

    Housing deficit: FMBN explores ‘renovation loan’ option

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has started giving loans to National Housing Fund (NHF) contributors for the renovation of their personal or family houses.

    Section 14(2) of the NHF Act Cap N .45 of 1992 states that a contributor can access loan from the Fund for the purpose of building, purchasing or renovation of homes. With this provision,  FMBN deemed it necessary to develop some remedial measures to ensure greater access to the NHF.

    The initiative, known as the FMBN Home Renovation Loan (FHRL), will afford Nigerians an opportunity to access housing mortgages solely for the renovation or improvement of their existing homes or family-owned properties. The scheme is available to every individual, whether civil servants at the federal or state service, as well as workers in the private sector.

    Basically, the FHRL scheme is designed for contributors to the NHF. With the contribution, the contributors can be granted credit facilities to the tune of N1million, as long as they keep contributing to the Fund, and subject to the income limit of the beneficiary as well as the final cost of renovation.

    Another condition for benefiting from the scheme is that an applicant must have an approved letter of undertaking from the office of Head of Service to deduct and remit monthly repayments to FMBN. Applicants are also required to provide two guarantors with verifiable sources of regular income, in case the beneficiary’s terminal benefit is not sufficient to offset the 1oan. Also, applications are to be submitted with certified Bill of Quantities indicating the amount required for the renovation. In addition to the above conditions, for employees in the private sector to benefit from the scheme, the requirement is a letter    of   undertaking    from   the    chief   executive   of   the employing organisation  to  deduct   monthly  repayment of the  loan   from  the employee’s monthly salary and remit  directly to FMBN.

    The loan, which attracts eight per cent interest, will be recovered through monthly repayments within the maximum stipulated period and through deductions by the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board  (FGSHLB) and the respective Head of Service or account office of the states, within three years or through the remaining service years of the employee. The renovation loan can be taken jointly by a couple, subject to the income assessment of both parties, while the loan can only be taken once in five years.

    In specific terms, federal civil servants’ applications will be administered and accepted by the FGSHLB while at the state level applications are to be compiled by the relevant authority and forwarded to FMBN through the state controller of the particular state. For private sector employees, including other   government  agencies   and   parastatals  not  covered by  the activities of FGSHLB,  the  applications shall  be  aggregated by the  Permanent Secretary or Chief Executive of the organisation.

    plications emanating from State Offices, the loans shall be approved and disbursed directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries after receipt of consent to disbursed from the relevant authority through which the applications were submitted.”

    Notwithstanding the above-stipulated conditions, there are fears of a possible default, especially going by previous experiences.

    However, FMBN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Lawal Isa, assured that the loopholes for defaulting have been reduced. He explained that where a beneficiary was unable to repay, especially arising from death or disengagement from service, the FGSHLB would be responsible for liquidation of the loan using the beneficiary’s terminal benefits.

    While this is mostly applicable to federal civil servants, beneficiaries in state public service will, in addition to adhering to almost the same requirements, have their ministry, department or agency responsible for repayment of their outstanding balance from their terminal benefits.

    “Applicants will take out a Reducing Term Assurance policy which guarantees the outstanding loan and covers death,   incapacitation and loss of job,” lsa said.

    Isa further explained that the renovation loan shall not be available to any NHF contributor who has enjoyed credit facility from FMBN to buy or build a house, adding however that NHF beneficiaries may be eligible to apply for mortgage loans for home purchase after fully liquidating a home renovation loan earlier taken.

    Stakeholders in the real estate sector agree that proper implementation of the scheme is capable of addressing the housing needs of the people as well as redeem public perception of the institution.

    They are optimistic that an increase in access to beneficiaries of the NHF scheme will improve the standard of living of contributors to the Fund.