Building collapse has become endemic, defying solutions. It has resulted in the loss of lives and properties and disabilities. But experts say the problem can be eradicated, Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBU- CHIKEZIE reports
The increase in the rate of building collapse, despite advancement in technology and the involvement of professionals in the sector, calls for a review of the processes – from building design to construction.
The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) President, Dipo Ajayi, who spoke on the issue at a conference with the theme, “Driving Nigerian architecture through technology”, defined collapse as a state of failure when the structure gives way and most members cave-in, crumble or buckle and the building can no longer stand as built.
He said failures were not expected within the projected lifespan of structures, saying it happens due to human imperfections, among others. He identified three kinds of collapse: Participant collapse, which is when a part of a building is affected and small fractions of the building fail; Progressive collapse, which is when the signs of weakness noticed through cracks widen with time, and Total or Sudden collapse that occurs where the building falls down without any sign.
He said professionals blamed each other in every incidence instead of tackling the cause of the collapse, pointing out that almost everyone should be blamed for the collapse – from the professionals in the building sub-sector to government approving agencies, the client and even occupants of the building.
To underscore the analysis of the preponderance of buildings that usually collapse, Ajayi said: “Research has shown that about 139 buildings have collapsed between 1974 and 2012 with over 798 lives lost.”
He said of the reported cases, 74 or 53.24 per cent of them occurred in Lagos; about 11 (7.91 per cent) in Abuja, 10 (7.19 per cent) in Oyo State, eight or 5.76 per cent in Ondo State, six or 4.3 per cent in Ogun State, and five or about 3.69 per cent in Kano State.
Others are Kaduna, Rivers, Kwara, Anambra, Osun, Edo, Enugu, Borno, Benue and Imo states, which have had cases of building collapse of less than two per cent.
Ajayi said building collapse has nothing to do with the size of the structure. He said an Abuja building, which collapsed in March, 1993 and the one at Ojuelegba in 1999 were multi-storey, adding that the memory of the two buildings that collapsed at Ebute-Metta, Lagos and Kano State, which killed many people in 2007, still lingers.
He relieved the collapse of the fence of a nursery and primary school at Olomi area, Ibadan, in March 2008, which killed 13 pupils. He recalled the death of over 50 students of Saque Comprehensive College, Port Harcourt in 1990, which, he said, was as a result of the owner attempting to construct more floors on the structurally-unsafe wall.
He said similar trends were observed in a collapsed mosque in Mushin area, Lagos in 2001, and a multi-storey commercial/residential structure in Ebute-Metta in Lagos State where several people died.
The ARCON president maintained that some of the cases of building collapse were also as a result of ignorance on the part of developers and unauthorised conversion of buildings, adding that the 1988 building collapse in Mushin, Lagos occurred when the building was raised by another floor.
Other factors, he mentioned, are the absence of soil test before construction where structural designs and details are sometimes defective, lack of proper planning, absence of co-ordination between professional bodies and town planning authorities, lack of adherence to specifications by contractors, use of unqualified and unskilled personnel, poor or bad construction practices, sub-standard building materials and inadequate enforcement of laws.
Ajayi said: “Structural defects account for 25.16 per cent of the total causes of building collapse, incompetence, poor supervision and poor workmanship account for 14.19 per cent, use of substandard building materials, 12.90 per cent, faulty structural design and/or no structural design, 9.68 per cent, carelessness, 7.10 per cent, rainstorm/downpour, 7.10 per cent, while weak/faulty foundation account for about 5.81 per cent.’’
He listed other causes to include excessive loading, 5.15 per cent; illegal conversion, non-compliance with approved building plans, disregard for building regulations/plans, 5.16 per cent; hasty/faulty construction, 3.87 per cent and ignorant/greedy clients, which accounted for 1.94 per cent.
Consequences
On the consequences of building collapse, Ajayi said they include loss of lives, injuries, loss of properties, investments, jobs, incomes, dignity and exasperation of crises among the stakeholders, scarcity of properties, environmental disasters, loss of reputation and integrity and withdrawal of practice licences.
On the way forward, he said the basic requirement of safety, aesthetic, economy and constructability must be put into consideration during the design process. This stage cannot be complete without the estimation of the resources needed for the execution and the approval by the relevant authorised government agencies.
He noted that one fundamental principle of construction is that a building should be designed and built to meet its owner’s requirements and satisfy public health, welfare and safety requirement, such that no part of such building should pose a hazard to its occupants.
Recommendation
Ajayi asked that policy makers should ensure that specifications were followed by contractors.
He said: “The Town Planning Authorities should maintain and have adequate and competent professionals in the building industry and provide necessary training for design approval. In other words, only architects and engineers should be allowed to approve the relevant drawings in the approval department.” He canvassed that the public must be willing to alert the government of buildings that are suspected to be a risk to the people in a neighbourhood.
The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) National President, Kunle Awobodu, also identified building collapse as the major challenge faced by the construction industry, saying the menace has created grievous competency doubts on practitioners and artisans. He said the challenge was a man-made problem that could be overcome if there were genuine interest to right the wrong.
He said: “About 10 years ago, when I was the chairman of the NIOB in Lagos State, the frequency of building collapse in the state made the then Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, to set up a technical committee to reform the Physical Planning and Development Law of the state. The committee rolled out a bill that was passed by the state House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor in 2010, becoming the new Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law.”
Awobodu said promulgating the law was one hurdle crossed, but the implementation becomes a bigger hurdle. Compromise and corruption remained the bane in the fight against building collapse.
He, however, noted that NIOB must sustain its efforts to ensure that buildings that were being constructed met the required standard. He said if builders complained about the construction sphere being replete with quackery, NIOB should proffer the solution that would encourage developers and clients to patronise trained builders.
To curb building collapse, the Lagos State Government warned housing estate owners to stop modifying approved designs of structures in their estates or face the wrath of the law.
The Ministry of Housing Permanent Secretary, Mr. Wasiu Akewusola, gave the warning at a meeting with the representatives of the Residents Association of Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
He said: ” It is in the best interest of all residents of government owned estates to stop alterations of structures of buildings in government owned estates.”
Such reconstructions, he added, include restyling, extension of, and additions to facilities and, in some extreme cases, increase in levels of buildings.
He observed that the alterations were deviations from the terms and conditions stated in the deed of sub-lease signed by the two parties, adding that culprits would be punished.
Akewusola noted: “The government-owned estates are designed and built by the government in compliance with global environmental and physical planning rules to ensure durability and liveability.
“Contravention of such standards often result in dire consequences, such as reduced durability of the structure for the home owner and the other people in the environment and in worst case scenario a collapse.’’
He advised the residents to desist from redesigning buildings as this might cause damages to the building and the entire environment in no distant time.
He underscored the need for the residents to maintain the original structural design to prevent future disasters.
According to Akewusola, “a building is a permanent load whose capacity of erection can only be known and accessed by certified engineers.’
‘’This capability, which is environmentally determined, had already been quantified before the buildings were erected. Any plan to overload the capacity may result in disaster,’’ he warned.
He alerted the residents that all unapproved remodelling contravened the Physical and Urban Planning Law of the government, hence, the affected buildings would be demolished by the agency of the government.