The Nation Newspaper

Tag: building

  • Chieftain donates building to party

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Chief Femi Adekanmbi, has donated a multi-million Naira storey-building in Owo town for the use of members of the party.

    Adekanmbi explained that the building, which has been equipped with modern facilities, would enhance the mobilisation and membership drive of the state chapter of the PDP.

    He said: “Recent developments in the state have shown that the PDP is increasing in membership, commitment and activities, especially in the Northern Senatorial District.

    “The least that a supportive leader can do for his party at this time is to ensure that this spirit is encouraged.”

    To this end, the politician said he thought it right to provide a rallying point that will be convenient for meetings, planning, grassroots mobilisation, coordinating and other forms of administrative responsibilities of officers of the party.

    He said the facility will further encourage the spread and appreciation of the party in the state, especially in the Northern Senatorial District.

    He said: “Recent activities in the state had shown that warring factions have resolved their differences and have decided to work together to build the party, hence our philanthropic gesture would make the party to continue to grow stronger in all seasons and weather.”

    He noted that there are still more efforts to be made to further boost the acceptability of the party ahead of the state governorship election next year.

    He urged that the party should be re-launched with adequate facilities in an atmosphere conducive enough to ensure great success.

  • Tension in Ejigbo over sale of bank building

    There is tension in Ejigbo, the headquarters of Ejigbo Local Government of Osun State over the proposed sale of the building accommodating a new generation bank.

    Following incessant robberies, the bank management relocated the branch about two years ago to Ede, a community which is 25 kilometres away from the town.

    Since the relocation, residents have been complaining of harrowing banking experience.

    Tension started when residents said they found out that the bank was going to sell the building.

    At the weekend, the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, addressed a briefing where he told the reporters that the people were going to frustrate the bank’s plan.

    According to him, the town was against sale of the property because the land on which the building was built was never sold to the bank.

    Oba Oyesosin said in 1980 a part of the palace was carved out and given to a bank, which later metamorphosed to the new generation bank after the recapitalisation of the banking industry.

    The monarch challenged the bank to produce the land sales agreement and documents to prove if the land was ever sold to it.

    He said: “For more than 20 years, the first bank operated the branch without any robbery attack, until the merger and acquisition took place and the new generation bank took over.

    “I gave the land from the parcel of land belonging to the palace.

    “In fact, some structures had to give way without compensation to anybody before we could carve out a portion of the land for the bank.

    “In fact, a sizable part of the palace ground was affected.”

    The monarch, who said the proposed sale of the land, was for selfish reasons gave out the letter he wrote to the bank management to complain about the matter.

    The letter reads: “The space given out is mainly for building of a bank. If (the space) is sold, this will defeat the original purpose we had for the land.”

    The monarch said he released the land “purely for banking services bearing in mind its inherent social, economic and commercial benefits to my people”.

    He, therefore, advised the management of the bank to stop the transaction on the land in the overriding interest of Ejigbo.

    Though there are two microfinance banks in Ejigbo, the bank is the only commercial bank in the town.

    Its officials could not be reached for comments.

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home (5)

    DEAR Reader, welcome again to another time of refreshing in the Word of God. I started this teaching by letting you know that you can build that glorious home, your desire. I also explained some vital ingredients for building a sweet home. Today, I want to teach on another enemy of peace in the home  Anger

    Every couple craves for a sweet home, but not every couple will experience it. This is because there are works of the flesh working against every home. As such, every couple that desires a sweet home should ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, in order to build a home free of strife and malice. Anger is a natural emotion that one exhibits at a particular time.  We all get angry at one time, but the difference between this and the work of the flesh, is sin. That is why the scripture says: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).

    Here, the Bible warns that if you are angry, do not allow your anger to lead you to sin. Anger is a canker that has destroyed many marriages and rendered many children hopeless. Therefore, don’t sin by nursing your grudge and letting the sun go down with you still angry; get over it quickly. When you are angry, you give a mighty room to the devil.

    If you allow your temperament to boil, you open the door to sin. If you get upset about the way your spouse reacts to certain things at times, do not explode and speak cruel words, which can cause irreparable damage (Ecclesiastes 7:9). What makes you a mature individual is your ability to control your emotions until your anger simmers down.

    A sister was upset by her husband and angrily packed her things out of the home. The husband with other good neighbours pleaded with her to return home, but due to stubbornness she refused. She thought that her husband, being a Christian could not look for another woman. After a few months, her husband stopped pleading for her return. Later, she decided to return home but to her surprise, she met another woman. Her husband had taken another woman as a wife. Do you see what stubbornness and anger can cause? Though, they were believers, they were still robbed of a successful marriage. You shall not lose your home to anger.

    You don’t have to boil like a kettle of water on fire, just because your spouse expresses a different opinion.  Sometimes you get angry, lose your temper and allow unseemly words pass your lips just because your spouse advises that the action you are about to take is contrary to the Scripture. Watch it!

    Furthermore, some spouses try to suppress anger.  They get angry but swallow it by pretending everything is alright, and then plaster a smile on their faces. They are like shaking hot bottles of coca-cola. Once the lids are opened, the hot liquid rushes out in torrents. Bottling up anger is risky; it steals away the harmony in the home. Never give it a trial.

    You can let off the steam by discussing the issue of the anger at the appropriate time. Call upon the Holy Spirit to help you keep your temper so that you can live a life of love and peace, and not one filled with anger.

    Furthermore, it is important to know that anger is a killer. God’s Word says: Simeon and Levi, who slew the men of Shechem because of their uncontrollable anger got a horrible sentence: Simeon and Levi are brethren; Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7). Anger must be dealt with, if you want to avoid the shame that division and scattering brings to a marriage.  Anger puts an end to a sweet marriage faster than adultery or fornication. One may not kill physically, yet by anger or even silence, you can kill your spouse’s spirit.  Watch it!

    You do not solve family problem(s) by strife but by the help of the Holy Spirit. You need a nature when you want victory over anger; one which lives for Jesus Christ and is controlled by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus possesses your home, He also possesses your tempers and keeps you from sinful anger.

    You can pray the following prayer for God to deliver you from the spirit of anger: “Lord, by Your grace, help me to be victorious over all thoughtless angers and bitterness that are harmful to my family member and myself, in Jesus’ mighty name!”

    Are you born-again? If you are not, you don’t have genuine access to operate the mind of Christ and that is one of the tools needed to control your anger (1 Corinthians 2:16). If you desire to give your life to Christ, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today.  Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Accepting responsibility in building your home (4)

    Dear reader, It is wonderful to be able to share God’s Word with you once more, in this column. I have shown you what to do in order to build a sweet home. I, also, made you understand that you are the builder of your home and gave you three vital ingredients for building a sweet home.

    This week, I want to teach on Peace In the Home. If you look around, you will discover that peace is a scarce commodity in the world today. Many are searching for it with all their might, especially in their homes, to no avail. It is important to know that peaceful homes are not wished into being. This is because they do not drop from heaven, but are carefully and consciously cultivated into being by the parties involved.

    There is a popular inscription found in most Christian homes, which says, “Christ is the head of this home, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” Yet, a lot of such families don’t enjoy peace because to them, Christ is only a picture and an inscription; He is not really the head of their home. I have seen couples who are Christians, but have never experience a 24-hour peace in their homes. They desire a sweet home but what they experience daily is sour home, where love never reigns. But I have good news for you.  The Word of God says: …He (Jesus) is the Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6).

    When Jesus is given His rightful place in the home, absolute peace is guaranteed. Therefore, let Jesus be the head of your home in truth and indeed. Believe His Word, receive His instructions and obey them, and perfect peace and joy will become a permanent thing in your home. Below is a testimony of how God restored peace to the home of a sister:

    “I have been married for the past ten years but there was no peace in the home. For me, marriage wasn’t good because things were just upside down. I had a child in 1993 but it died. I also experienced series of miscarriages. I used to drive a car but suddenly, it was no more. It felt as if everything came to a halt.

    In January 1997, my husband joined the Winners’ Chapel Church. He didn’t ask me to come with him, because I was already attending another Pentecostal church. Yet, there was no peace in the home; rather, the situation worsened.

    In June 1997, the tension was so intense that I said, ‘Lord, what will I do?’ I told my husband, ‘If this is what marriage is all about, let us call it quit.’ He replied, ‘Well, the door is wide open. You can go.’ It was at that point that I sat down and did a rethink.

    That same month, I joined to Winners’ Chapel and during one of the services, I heard the Bishop say, ‘I have been married for many years now and there hasn’t been any concern or problem in my home.’  I said to myself, ‘Is it on this earth or on another planet?’

    But somehow, God has done it for me too! Now I know that I had been the problem, not my husband. My husband is a perfect gentleman! Also, the Bishop’s wife jokingly said that if there was anything as another life, she would still choose to marry her husband. Today, I can also, joyfully say the same!” Neburabo, R.

    Let’s look at one the enemies of peace in the home:Stubbornness:  What does it mean to be stubborn? In a nutshell, it means to be adamant, to be fixed on one’s purpose and opinion or to refuse positive development. It is simply the unwillingness to change and God hates such people. The Word of God says: …Stubbornness is as an iniquity and Idolatry… (1 Samuel15:23). In this scripture, stubbornness is equated with idolatry, and idolatry is a serious sin before God. This is because it is as grievous as the adoration of graven images. Therefore, prune it away from your family life before it prunes you away from your home.

    Stubbornness kills dreams. For instance, Saul’s kingdom was cut off from him because he refused correction (1 Samuel 15:1-28). If it can destroy a whole kingdom, then you need to prune it off your home before it robs you of a successful home. Imagine a man who makes up his mind to do something but refuses to be swayed by the pleading of his wife, even when her reasons are obviously in accordance with the Word of God. Watch such a man; he will end up in big trouble someday. The Word of God says: He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy (Proverbs 29:1).

    Stubbornness is an enemy of honour and dignity; thus, husband and wife, who delight in stubborn acts, will end up being stripped of honour. When someone breaks the hedge, anything evil can happen to him (Ecclesiastes 10:8). Wives, our husbands are the heads of the home. As such, we must be submissive to them. We must avoid conflicting decisions at home. Allow them to take the final decision as regards the progress of the home, so as to maintain peace in the home.

    Note this: Any woman who is strong-willed and unyielding is heading for disgrace and destruction. As a Christian mother, you must not allow the spirit of stubbornness to overshadow you. Be calm and articulate; calmness is not stupidity, but the cure for stubbornness.

    However, you must understand that if you are not born again, it will be difficult to maintain peace in your home.   Jesus Christ is the prince of peace.  Are you ready to accept Him? If so, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Fire guts sawmill, building, bank

    Fire guts sawmill, building, bank

    FIRE yesterday swept through Oko-Baba Sawmill in Ebute-meta, Lagos Mainland; a bank and a building, destroying Properties worth millions of naira.

    Traders at the sawmill are counting their losses to the fire, which reportedly began around 2a.m.

    “I received a phone call around 3am that the market had been destroyed. I was confused. I didn’t know what to do but to see for myself. On getting there, I almost passed out. The only thing I could picture was my machines; generators and planks I just bought. Oh! God why me? How will I move on?”, said John Ezenye, who claimed to have lost equipment worth N12million.

    Ezenye said the planks he just ordered were still at the shoreline because he thought he was going to pay his supplier after yesterday’s sales.

     The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but some traders believed it could be the carelessness of those who sleep in the market.

    Another trader, Niyi Akinloye, said that was the second time his goods would be destroyed.

    “What else can I do than to accept my fate? I just sawed some woods yesterday (Monday) and anticipated my customers who promised to come today (yesterday). I am pained you don’t need to ask. I just hope favour comes from somewhere,” Akinloye said.

    Another trader, simply called Alhaja, said she lost her office to the fire.

    “I lost so many things. I had vital documents there. All the logs of wood I cut yesterday (Monday) got burnt. I will be depressed if I continue to count my losses,” she said.

    Secretary, Lagos Mainland Saw Millers F Ward Oye Agbujeloye praised the fire fighters saying: “I learnt that it was probably due to carelessness of some individuals who sleep in the market. I know it wasn’t deliberately destroyed because we are like a family here. This is another challenge and we must continue. I plead with the government to assist us because we also pay some dues to them. They should rescue us because some of us have employees who have families to fend for.”

    He added that four industrial generators were burnt.

    There was panic at a branch of Ecobank on Oba Ogunnusi Road, Omole, Lagos, when fire gutted its generator. The generator is outside the bank.

    A boys’ quarters at 46, Adegbola Street in Alakuko, Lagos, was also razed by fire.

    Director of the State Fire Service Rasaq Fadipe said four rooms in the boys’ quarter got damaged.

    “The fire at the boys’ quarter was due to electrical surge. Immediately we got the information, I deployed men from Alausa and Ogba to the scenes. Thank God, there was no casualty,” he said

  • Rights groups allege foul-play in Synagogue building probe

    Rights groups allege foul-play in Synagogue building probe

    The Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) has urged the Federal Government to release the report of its investigation into the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) guest house last September 12.

    Also, the Pan-Yoruba group, Oodua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC), a coalition of 35 Yoruba self-determination groups, has urged the United Nations (UN) to join in the investigation of the causes of the tragedy.

    The NHRC, a coalition of 135 civil right groups, failure to release the report, suggests a cover which strengthens the growing public perception that the collapse was as a result of a bomb attack.

    In a statement signed by Mallam Yaya Abdulkadir, NHRC urged the Federal Government and the police to determine the cause of the collapse of the since many Nigerians believe that it might have been caused by a bomb.

    “The Federal Government and the police owe Nigerians and the world the urgent need to get to the root of this matter. Many Nigerians now think that the building may have been brought down through a bomb attack. It is imperative to allay the fears of the public,” the statement claims.

    According to the statement, despite the presence of the strange plane around the building, there has not been any statement by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) or the military authority, to clarify the mission.

    Rising from its National Working Committee (NWC) meeting ONAC condemned the investigation into the collapse, alleging: “There is a grand conspiracy to malign the Pastor of SCOAN, Temitope Joshua.

    “We are left with no room but to conclude that the attack was planned. There have been a series of evidence by experts, showing that the collapse of that building was an extra-ordinary affair. There is the need for international investigators to show interest in this case.”

    In a statement signed by its Director of Publicity, Popoola Ajayi, ONAC said: “In the intelligence world, there are all sorts of intrigues and games of treachery. We have seen 20,000 people killed in the drive to assassinate only one person. The international investigators from the UN will have to determine whether the attack was part of a global campaign against Christianity, a lone plot targeting an individual or a combination of both.”

  • Fire razes engineering building

    Fire razes engineering building

    Valuable documents and property worth millions have been destroyed in an inferno that ravaged a building in the School of Engineering of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti (ADO POLY), last Friday.

    The bungalow, which was completely razed, housed the offices of the Dean, heads of Department of Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Electronics and Agricultural Engineering, as well as a classroom. The fire, it was gathered, started at 11pm and its source has remained unknown.

    The inferno was noticed by residents of Abuja Hostel, which is close to the building. The students immediately alerted the authorities and rushed to the scene to remove documents and other valuables from the building.

    It took the combined efforts of Ekiti State Fire Service, the polytechnic’s fire fighters, school security officials and students to prevent the inferno from spreading to other facilities in the engineering school.

    Members of the polytechnic’s Governing Councils and top management staff were in a meeting when the incident happened.

    The Rector, Dr Theresa Akande, in a statement by the Deputy Registrar (Protocol and Information Unit), Mr Adeyemi Adejolu, said the institution’s loss could not be quantified, describing the incident as a monumental disaster.

    She said sensitive and irreplaceable documents and materials, including computers, furniture and structure were lost to the inferno. She noted that an emergency meeting of the Council was going on around 11:05 pm when some students raised alarm about the fire.

    She said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained because there was no electricity at the time of the incident, assuring that there would be investigation to unravel the cause.

    The Students’ Union Government (SUG) described the incident as unfortunate. In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Temitope Yakubu, the union said: “We commiserate with the management and students over the fire disaster at the School of Engineering. Although, it was a sad incident but we are grateful to God that no life was lost. Our prayer is that, the incident should not affect the smooth running of the academic calendar. We commend the action of to residents of Abuja Hostel, who alerted the authorities.”

    Olusegun Adeolu, a student of Civil Engineering, said the incident was a great loss to the polytechnic.

     

  • Engineers set tone for safe building, enviroment

    The proper use of cement for the production of concrete will provide a lasting solution to the incidence of building collapse.

    This is the submission by the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE) at its just concluded 27th Annual Conference and General Meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos. The theme of the conference was “The Effect of Cement Strength on Concrete Performance.” Cement forms the predominant structural material in the low/medium rise zone of the Built Environment, where the incidence of building collapse is most prevalent in Nigeria,

    For the prevention of the loss of lives and the colossal wastage of resources associated with  incidence of building collapse recommendations were made at the end of the conference to address the situation.

    They included the government backing of competent and qualified practice of structural engineering by legislation. This, according to them, would enable professionals in to design and superintend construction of structures, which buildings are just an aspect, for their integrity, good performance, safety and comfort of the users.

    They also recommended that structural design and supervision of structures should only be handled by competent and qualified professional structural engineers.

    Importantly, stakeholders at the conference recommended that the checking and approval of buildings for construction should be done by, or under the supervision of a competent and qualified structural engineer in the office of the relevant approving authorities.

    They equally recommended that construction of buildings should be handled by a team of competent technical personnel, one of whom must be a structural engineer to ensure the integrity and efficiency of the structure throughout its life span.

    The body noted that concrete forms the main component of any reinforced structure and cement is the binder of the concrete components. “Therefore, for good properties and performance of concrete, the quality of the cement used for the production of the concrete must be such as to produce the designer’s specified strength of concrete,” it said.

    On the issue of suitability of cement grade for specific jobs, stakeholders at the conference agreed that a structural engineer is in the best position to specify the best grade of cement necessary to meet his design specifications.

    They, therefore, canvassed for  more emphasis on the manufacturing process of cement for concrete to ensure that they meet international or country standards, irrespective of their grades by the regulating authorities.

    NIStructE then urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to effectively enforce the production of High Yield and Mild Steel rods with characteristic strengths of 460N/mm2 and 250N/mm2 respectively, of appropriate sizes.

    SON, it further recommended, should compel all steel manufacturers to clearly label their products by size and Yield Strength and issue certificates of quality assurance on every consignment.

    Earlier, NIStructE national President, Samuel Ilugbekhai, an engineer, had warned against the use of beach sand, especially in Lagos, for block making and construction of buildings.

    This, according to him, is because of the negative effect of salt (short and long term) on reinforcement and other components of concrete.

    He advised that only clean and portable water should be used for the production of concrete to avoid chemical impurities, which have adverse effects on the concrete.

    Stakeholders at the conference then requested the NIStructE to spearhead more collaboration among SON, Universities, Polytechnics, Research Institutions, Manufacturers and other stakeholders and provide the professional, intellectual and scientific expertise to complement the objectives of ensuring global best practices in the application of cement concrete production.

    The conference was brought together by stakeholders from the industry, manufacturing, government, regulatory bodies, engineering and the academia.

  • Seplat restates commitment to capacity building

    SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc has reiterated its commitment to building strong human capacity in their area of operation.

    The Managing Director, Austin Avuru, gave this hint at a public forum in Sapele, Delta state recently.

    The event was the grand finale quiz competition for secondary schools in Delta and Edo states.

    Justifying the need for the competition, Avuru, who was represented by Dr (Mrs) Chioma Nwachuku, General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, said it was borne out of the need to build the skills set of members of its host communities.

    “Our company’s commitment to intellectual capacity building remains strong and unshakable. This is our third edition  spanning for three years of organising the Pearls Quiz Competition and we are constantly impressed by the performance of  the students especially the female students who are disadvantaged on account of their gender. We are convinced that the future of these children is bright indeed,” he stressed.

    This year competition was keenly contested by over 1500 schools with Hebrew International Secondary School coming tops.

  • Pastor blames building collapse on sabotage

    Pastor Moses Erhue, whose church building collapsed last Sunday, has blamed saboteurs for the incident.

    Erhue said he was shocked to see his church building, which has 32 pillars, in ruins.

    He denied using substandard materials, noting that he saw cracks in the pillars, which according to him, suggested that somebody might have chiselled them.

    “I want to thank God that there was no casualty. I was called that the wind fell the building. I was surprised to see that a building where we have 32 pillars, built with standard materials could be brought down in this capacity.”

    “I don’t believe that the use of substandard materials brought it down. You can see some cracks in the pillar. Maybe some people came and cracked the pillars. “We will take it by faith. For me, I know that the building cannot be brought down if somebody had not cracked the pillars.

    “We held a service here on Sunday and we did not see the crack. We have been building this church for five years. The church is just eight years old.

    “The land is surveyed and the building has a plan. If it has a plan then it was approved. I have a contractor and an engineer supervising the building. I have not quarrelled with anybody.”