The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Firm unveils smart toilet fittings

    GROHE, a firm that provides bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, has introduced a new bidet ceramic toilet seat with its popular Sensia Arena smart toilet.

    In a statement, GROHE President, Middle East, Africa & East Mediterranean, Renu Misra, said the bidet seat is made of sturdy duroplast and comes with the shower feature of a classic smart toilet or bidet.

    He said it combines modern design with functionality and leaves one feeling fresh as water is used for cleaning.

    The durable duroplast seat, he said, is easy to clean and can be used to upgrade any conventional toilet without having to replace the ceramic or connect it to a power source.

    On how to operate the bidet seat, he said it is simple and efficient with the help of a side-mounted lever, two separate shower arms, one for the ladies and a standard shower that can be controlled.

    He said: “The highest level of convenience and hygiene is provided by the Sensia Arena smart toilet.

    The strength of the water pressure, the position of both shower arms, the individually desired temperature and the type of jet can be controlled by the user.

  • Fed Govt completes construction of box culverts

    The Federal Government has completed the construction of box culverts, but retained the Sarius Palmetum Botanical Garden wall  in Maitama, Abuja, to check flooding and erosion within the garden and its environs.

    The project, which was carried out through the Ecological Fund Office (EFO), included stone pitching and de-silting of drain.

    Speaking at the inuaguration and handing over of the projects to the management of the garden, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello said the project was expected to check flooding and erosion, as well as further degradation of the environment. He said the age-long problem of gully erosion and flooding in the country could not be over emphasised.

    “I have no doubt that this Federal Government’s intervention will bring a huge relief to the large patrons of the garden,” he said.

    Having successfully completed the project, he said, there was no doubt that the economic benefits of the botanical garden and its environs would be greatly boosted. “This will at the same time reduce danger to lives and property associated with erosion and persistent flooding that are in and around the garden,” he said.

  • Developers inaugurate real estate data collation, management programme

    The Real Estate Development Association of Nigeria (REDAN) has inaugurated a National Real Estate Data Collation and Management Programme (NRE-DCMP) as part of efforts to facilitate robust housing delivery and investment.

    REDAN President Ugochukwu Chime called on state governments to respond to requests for land administration information to enable states’ real estate data be reported upon.

    He revealed that REDAN is proposing that any state government unwilling to embark on the needed structural improvement should be blacklisted from receiving investment.

    It would be recalled that NRE-DCMP was initiated by REDAN and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to collate property price index nationwide in order to solve housing problems in the country. The estate data,  aimed at getting a confirmed housing deficit figure towards mitigating the challenge, was hoisted on the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) website for public usage.

    Chime described the real estate data, which provided information for planning, investment analysis and direct energy towards policy decision, as a noble activity of stakeholders piloted in 36 states and the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT).

    He said: “The current huge transaction time and cost being encountered with the 37 land administrators, 36 states and the FCT in Nigeria is a great barrier to investment flow into the real estate sector. Shelter Afrique has refused to invest in many parts of Nigeria, especially Abuja, because of this challenge,” he said.

    The surveyor further said the model mortgage law, foreclosure law and multi-door court process must be adopted expeditiously by all the 37 land administrators. He added that the theme of the expo, “Real Estate Development, the Bedrock for National Economic Stability’’, was aimed at showcasing housing as a tool for employment generation and inclusive  growth.

  • Families to NICHEMTEX: produce original receipt of land purchase

    The Ominiha/Shosanya families of Molatori and Owode villages, Ibeshe in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, have refuted claims by a textile firm, NICHEMTEX, that the defunct United Textile Nigeria Limited (UNTL) purchased 138.70 acres of land about 50 years ago.

    The families, through the community leader, Baale Ayodele Ominiha and their lawyer, Dr. Charles Nwadiani, accused the company of forging receipts and documents, which they used to take over their lands.

    The textile giant and the families are having a running battle since January over the ownership of the land, with each accusing the other of land grabbing.

    The families said they have petitioned the police to investigate alleged documents forgery, insisting that the duplicate copy of purchase receipt NICHEMTEX brought when they were invited for a meeting with the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone Two showed evidence of manipulations.

    Baale Ominiha told our correspondent that the land in dispute was never sold to UNTL, saying the company expressed interest, which was communicated to the family lawyer then, but it never paid for the land.

    He said if the firm was sure of purchasing the land, it should provide the original receipt of sale, just as it has the one issued when it bought the Nichemtex factory land.

    Dr. Nwadiani in an earlier interview said: “All we are saying is that UNTL should show the receipt the family issued when it bought the land. Who sold it? It is not true that the cases in court were consolidated because one of the lawsuits was filed by the Efunba family who the court already ruled have no land in Owode/Ibeshe Ikorodu.

    “We have written a petition to the police on forgery. The company was asked to bring the original copy of the purchase receipt. Initially they said it was with the Bank of Industry (BOI), when the police told them to put it in writing so that they can investigate, the company recanted and said it forgot the original in China.

    “It has been three months since January. How long does it take for a document to be sent to Nigeria from China?  Besides, there was a Gazetted revocation order of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the government after the government acquired 15 hectares of the said land. When it was time for compensation, the company was asked to go and bring original document, but they could not.

    “Some of the family members were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the land on the right side (138.70 acres) was never sold to UNTL. The company leased two acre on the shoreline after purportedly buying 148 acres on the left side. The leased two acres was for the sole purpose of bringing in their equipment through the waterways.

    “Having evaluated the facts of the case, the family decided and agreed that a criminal case be initiated against the company, particularly on forgery of documents with which they claimed they have purportedly acquired the said land.

    “We wrote Zone Two on alleged forgery and the case is being investigated. The company produced a photocopy of a document and they were asked to bring the original. There should be original of every photocopy document, isn’t it? So, let them produce the original.

    “On face analysis of the copies they produced, we have reasons to question the document. It has been sent for forensic examination and the result will be out soon. They were alterations and impositions, which raised our suspicion.

    “The company has refused to honour police invitation and is launching a media campaign against the office of the AIG to cover their crime.”

    However, the Managing Director of the company, Daniyan Folorunsho, dismissed the allegations from the families, saying at no time did they refuse to honour police investigation.

    Folorunsho said it was untrue the company was asked to produce any document by the government because UNTL has to date, not demanded any compensation from the government.

    He also faulted the families’ claim that the company forged documents for the land, wondering why they were resorting to self-help rather than await the verdict of the court.

    At the land registry, our correspondent confirmed that the land was registered on June 12, 1990 in the name of UNTL and that 15 hectares was in June 2013, revoked by the government for overriding public good.

    Our correspondent gathered that the company relied on a court order for out-of-court settlement to process its C of O and did not present any receipt of purchase to the land registry, a discovery the families said corroborated their allegations against the firm.

  • Housing cooperatives to improve off-takers’ chances of owning affordable housing coming

    Participants at the cooperative housing workshop have resolved to set up two committees to harness the potential of the proposed Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria (CHFN).

    The just concluded two-day workshop was organised by Nigeria Integrated Social Housing (NISH) Affordable Housing Ltd., in collaboration with Family Homes Funds (FHF) in Abuja.

    The workshop had earlier called for the establishment of Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria (CHFN), Cooperative Housing Fund (CHF) and Cooperative Housing Information System (CHIS) to improve off-takers’ chances of owing affordable housing at minimal cost.

    Former Managing Director, Police Mortgage Bank, Mr Benson Iyohmere, explained that the first committee would handle the formation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that would harness the potential of the Housing Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (HCFN).

    Iyohmere said the second committee would look into cooperatives housing savings schemes, which would tackle issues regarding how to build savings for the new body.

  • SON to check entry of substandard goods in Southsouth

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has vowed to check the influx of fake and substandard goods such as building materials in the Southsouth region of the country.  The agency said the current upbeat activities in the seizure of these substandard goods are as a result of the constant sensitisation campaign backed by the SON Act No. 14, 2015. Goods worth billions of naira have been seized so far. There were been reported cases of bursting of large warehouses with fake and substandard re-bagged cement, iron rods, tyres, fake  cables imported from China, substandard electrical appliances, keys, locks and doors.

    SON Director-General, Osita Aboloma, who spoke at a sensitisation forum in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said the seizure and ongoing prosecutions are clear signs that the organisation is reaping the immense benefits from the SON Act as observed when the powers and sanctions were limited, thereby making it inadequate to confront the menace of substandard products in the country. He lamented that these life threatening products could cause large destruction of life and properties if not checked.

    He advised manufacturers to always certify their products so as to meet the required standards, urging all interested parties to stay clear of dealing with substandard products or risk sanction, prosecution or jail terms as a result of their illicit actions.

    SON Regional Coordinator, South south, Saleh Babaji, who represented Aboloma said the Act clearly stipulates that all products manufactured in Nigeria must be certified to the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) through the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), while imported products must comply with SON Offshore Conformity Assessment programme (SONCAP) along with other certification and registration schemes as prescribed.

    On the reason for the nationwide sensitisation and awareness, he responded that it is to ensure that Nigerians are informed about standardisation and seek cooperation with stakeholders in ensuring that the Act enhances  quality assurance in their processes to boost economic diversification.

  • Workshop on rainfall prediction, flood outlook to hold May 20

    A two-day workshop for flood severely affected states has been scheduled for May 20 and 21 in Abuja, the nation’s capital. In a statement from office of National Early Warning And Response Mechanism in Nigeria and signed by Senior Technical Adviser on Disaster Risk Management, Office of the Vice President, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the workshop is an outcome of a technical committee meeting on flood to fashion out strategic measures to mitigate and prevent flooding in Nigeria.

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC), the release said, had approved the inauguration of a technical committee on flooding at its meeting on July 16, 2018, to fashion out strategic measures to mitigate flooding in Nigeria with terms of reference to include: a collaborative partnership between the Federal, state and the Presidential committee on flood relief and rehabilitation (PCFRR); set up a Federal coordinating unit to be headed by the an officer not less than a director in rank to implement the programme; and sharing of project cost among Federal Government, state and the PCFRR in ration 30, 30 and 40 per cent.

    The committee, according to the release, has held two meetings since its inauguration on April 19, 2019, and as part of its deliberations considered the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NIMET) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) seasonal rainfall prediction and annual flood outlook for Nigeria respectively.

    The outcome of such meetings, according to the release, include classification of flood affected states into three categories such as: the severely impacted, mildly impacted and moderately impacted, with 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) falling into severely impacted category, using the 2012 to 2018 floods in the country as the basis. The states include Kebbi; Niger; Kwara; Kogi; Edo; Benue; Taraba; Adamawa; Anambra; Delta; Rivers; Bayelsa; Lagos; Kaduna and Abuja FCT.

    Other outcome of the meeting is addressing the rainfall pattern of severely affected states, using the existing vulnerability map of the Federal Ministry of Environment to address the issue.

    The third outcome of the meetings is to also hold workshops on flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness in the three stages of severity classification of the flood and identify stakeholders to be invited for the workshops.

    The committee, according to the release, has “identified the challenges that flooding has caused the country annually and decided that it will apply all effective strategies to curb flooding” beginning from this year.

    Affected states, the release said, have been requested to identify and submit projects that will build the resilience of their communities and reduce the impact of flooding with cost implication of the projects.

  • Much ado about Third Mainland Bridge

    With a length of 11.8km, the 20-year-old Third Mainland Bridge is the longest in Lagos. Few days ago, the social media was abuzz with news of the danger posed by the bridge’s weak joints. The government allayed such fears and after a check, engineers gave the bridge a clean bill. They, however, recommended regular maintenance of other highway structures across the country, writes OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    The news on the social media was startling: Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos is unsafe for use. No thanks to its weak joints.

    Like most bridges, the 20 year-old Third Mainland, has expansion joints aimed at mitigating the impact of movements or vibrations on road users. When these joints are weak or distressed, they cause discomforts, fear and trepidation an even deaths.

    A bridge’s expansion joints are designed to absorb temperature, contraction of construction materials, vibration, hold parts or allow movements between two components or sections.

    The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) recently toured the bridge to ascertain its status, especially the controversial expansion joints. At the end of the tour, it gave it a clean bill of health.

    In an interview, the NICE Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Mrs. Adetona Omolola, affirned that the team the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing (FMWP&H) carried out an integrity test on the bridge last August.

    She said it observed that the expansion joint, which had caused a lot of fear among road users, was due for replacement.

    Mrs Adetona said they were, however, assured by the Federal Controller of Works (Lagos), Mr. Adedamola Kuti,  who conducted the team round, that the materials for the repairs would soon arrive to enable them do the work. He allayed apprehensions on the safety of the bridge.

    She assured that in furtherance of the need to ascertain the integrity of the bridge, the Federal Ministry of Works also undertook underwater investigations of the foundation, which results were being awaited.

    The NICE chair revealed that the planned maintenance of the bridge  was on course.

    She, however, advised that all highway structures in the country should be subjected to planned or scheduled maintenance to ensure their fitness, in accordance with best international practice.

    Mrs Adetona said NICE affirmed that the Third Mainland Bridge is still structurally safe, insisting that the public had nothing to fear.

    She said: “We use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to expedite action on the repairs or total replacement of other identified faulty expansion joints on the bridge to avert further deterioration and ensure guaranteed safe vehicular movements on the structure.”

    Also, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing insisted that the  Third Mainland Bridge is safe. It debunks the social medium, which spread the fear.

    In a statement, ministry said: “The  public is hereby informed that the expansion joint shown in the social media is one of those slated for change during repairs on the bridge, which will commence soon. It is still functioning and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe for use. Tests done on the expansion joints then — called static and dynamic load tests — were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.”

    The statement further stated that in March, underwater confirmatory tests preceding the repairs, were carried out on the piles to determine if there were further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.

    The statement stressed that all the tests done preparatory to the closure of the bridge to kick off comprehensive maintenance indicate that the integrity of the bridge is intact.

  • NIS backs law on building collapse

    THE Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) has thrown its weight  behind the law making building collapse an offence, its National President Charles Alabo, has said.

    Alabo spoke at the institute’s investiture in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    He said this would ensure the right materials and expertise were used.

    He said henceforth, the institute would monitor building construction.

    Read also: Surveyor petitions police over breach of contract

    Such checks, he said, would help to curb the menace of frequent building collapse. “When a building collapses, they would include surveyors; we can only test the loamy soil. We are not the geo-technical engineers, it does not concerns us. Where I think we should come in is the monitoring aspect of it. We are going to urge the National Assembly to pass the law  on building monitoring,” he said.

    Alabo exonerated surveyors from the incidents because they were not responsible for materials used in construction.

    However, he pointed out that if the monitoring bill is passed, it will become the responsibility of the surveyors to monitor the construction of building from its sand texture level to its completion.

    The new fellows are Gertrude Njar, Dupe Olayinka, Solomon Olukotun, Babatunde Oluwasunkanmi and O. B. Ogunlami.

  • NEMA to review National Contingency Plan

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is collaborating with stakeholders to review the National Contingency Plan (NCP) to mitigate the impact of disasters.

    Its Director-General Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja spoke at a workshop on ‘Experts technical workshop on disasters risk management implication of NiMET’s Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP)’ in Abuja.

    Maihaja, represented by the NEMA’s Director, Search and Rescue, Air Commodore AkugbeIyamu, said the review  would save lives.

    According to him, stakeholders could also use the plan for organisational preparedness.

    He said the impact of disasters on lives, properties and environment depends on the country’s level of preparedness, which relies on efficient early warning systems.

    The DG commended the NiMet and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) for their consistency in releasing weather-related information, including SRP, Flood Outlook and other weather monitoring bulletin.

    Maihaja said the release of the SRP would serve as a tool sagainst hazards.

    “In 2018, NiMet and NIHSA released weather and hydrological information for the country, especially on the possibility of flooding in certain locations, upon which NEMA and other stakeholders acted on.

    “Consequently, the flood affected some parts of the country, which led to the declaration of national disaster in 12 states by the agency.

    “The flood affected 129 local government areas and a total of 2,321,592 people. In all, 199 deaths were recorded, while 4,107 people were injured and resulting in over 600,000 Internally Displaced Persons.

    “The damages to property and agriculture land were also massive as over 100,190 houses were damaged and 382,368 agriculture crop lands were destroyed.

    “The flood also affected water, sanitation and hygiene facilities of the people,” Maihaja said.

    He assured that NEMA would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to put together in a simplified manner, the disaster risk management implication for the 2019 SRP.

    According to him, the reports at the end of the workshop will provide information on disaster management implications on agriculture, water resources, health and infrastructure.

    Maihaja expressed optimism that the workshop would proffer recommendations to cushion anticipated effects of the predictions.

    “This document, when produced, will be disseminated to all the relevant stakeholders to prompt them to take the necessary actions required, to facilitate disasters risk reduction, in their areas of jurisdictions.”

    Mr. Kayode Fagbemi, Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting of NEMA, said the agency would map vulnerable communities based on the prediction as indicated by climate risk monitoring agencies.

    This, according to Fagbemi, would enhance and direct enlightenment campaign in critical states.