By Kanu Samuel
The Ondo State Government has stepped up efforts to prevent building collapse by engaging professional bodies in the building and construction industry to strengthen compliance with building regulations and improve collaboration with stakeholders.
The interactive meeting, organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, was held on Thursday at the ministry’s headquarters in Akure and brought together representatives of key professional associations, including the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), the Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIOB) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), among others.
Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Sunday Olajide, said the engagement was aimed at fostering a stronger working relationship with critical stakeholders in support of the state government’s physical planning and urban renewal agenda.
Olajide urged professional bodies to intensify efforts to eliminate quackery, the use of substandard building materials and the impersonation of registered professionals at construction sites.
According to him, proper supervision by qualified professionals and the use of quality materials remain essential to preventing building collapse.
He also expressed concern over the activities of some developers who commence construction without obtaining statutory approvals from the ministry, while others violate approved building plans or forge official approval documents.
The commissioner warned that anyone found violating the state’s building regulations or engaging in unethical practices would face prosecution.
Also speaking, the ministry’s Permanent Secretaries, Chief Oluwagbenga Akingbasote (Physical Planning) and Town Planner Abimbola Tofowomo (Building Control), outlined the ministry’s regulatory responsibilities, including development approvals, inspection, monitoring and enforcement of building standards across the state.
Representatives of the professional bodies commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for measures they said had helped prevent the frequent building collapses recorded in some other parts of the country. They also described the commissioner’s initiative in convening the meeting as the first of its kind since the ministry was established.
The stakeholders, however, urged the ministry to strengthen monitoring and enforcement, digitalise its approval processes, fast-track the passage of the state’s Urban and Regional Planning Law and intensify public awareness campaigns on building regulations.
They also called for the establishment of additional departments within the ministry to accommodate other professionals in the building and construction sector.
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