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THE Standards Organisation of Nigeria has canvassed stronger collaboration
among all stakeholders to stem the tide of structural failures as a result
of the prevalence of substandard building materials in the market. According
to the Director-General, SON, Dr. John Akanya, to eradicate substandard building
materials in the market would require an effective and joint implementation
of the National Building Code.
He said this in a paper he delivered at the monthly forum of the Lagos Chapter
of the Nigerian Institute of Building. According to him, strict compliance
by professionals to requirements specified in national and international standards
and codes in the building construction industry is also necessary.
Akanya canvassed strict adherence to testing of materials and the rejection
of those that fell below specifications, while also seeking collaboration
between professional bodies, regulatory agencies, local and state governments
on enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of using substandard materials in
building construction. The professional bodies, he said, must enforce compliance
to laid-down regulations among their members by forming site inspection teams.
The SON DG urged Nigerians to stop patronising manufacturers, importers and
traders of substandard building materials. He said that SON had put in place
measures to curb the influx of substandard building materials into the market,
noting that the agency could not be everywhere at the same time. ”There
is, therefore, the need for the general public to assist the organisation
by way of providing information about places where substandard building materials
are produced, sold or smuggled into the country. Be rest assured that such
information would be treated with the highest level of confidentiality,”
Akanya said.