By VICTOR ADEOTI

The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) have decried the recurrent loss of lives to incessant building collapse in the country, saying it is no longer acceptable.

The chairman of the institution in Osun, Basiru Abiola, made the remarks on Saturday in Osogbo during a sensitisation road show tagged ?Walk Against Building And Infrastructure Collapse?.

Abiola said that incessant building and infrastructure collapse was a national disaster which must be urgently addressed by the relevant stakeholders and government at all levels.

According to him, many lives and properties have been lost to building and infrastructure collapse in the country due to lack of professional consultation.

?It is due to the building collapse menace that we embarked on the sensitisation to educate the public on the dangers of engaging quacks in building construction.

?If we don?t educate the general public on the dangers of using quacks in building and infrastructure construction, then we can?t blame them.

?That is why we are all out today on the road to sensitise the public on the advantages of using professional engineers?, he said.

Abiola attributed the building and infrastructure collapse to moral decadence and lack of implementation of relevant laws regarding building and construction in the country.

According to the chairman, the result of moral decadence is that people now prioritise cost over safety and also build without obtaining proper approval from regulatory agencies.

?It is also the issue of moral decadence that will prompt a manufacturer to reduce the quality of building materials so as to make more gains.

?This must stop because the loss of lives and properties due to building collapse in the country can no longer be tolerated.

?The relevant regulatory agencies should intensify efforts in ensuring that all buildings under construction obtain the necessary approval.

?Strict implementation of relevant laws regarding building and infrastructure development in the country should also be enforced,? he said.

Abiola also appealed to the public to always patronise qualified, professional and licensed engineers when embarking on building and construction.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engineers started the sensitisation walk from stadium round about.

They sensitised traders at the popular Igbonna market and Ajegunle spare parts on the dangers of building collapse. (NAN)

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