Jos School Building Collapse:Expert harps on professionalism as 22 persons reported dead

By Eagle Eye News24

Following the horror experience that rock the city of Jos,Plateau State,Norh-Central,Nigeria over the building collapse of Saint Academy.

The State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Architect,Arch.Olusegun Godwin Olukoya,has blamed the collapse of a two Storey Building of the Saint Academy School located in Busa Buji,a community in Jos North on lack of professionalism.

Arch.Olukoya disclosed his assertion at the location of the school premise where he had gone for monitoring with other members of NIA and NIOB.

In his words:”Seeing the structure alone shows that it’s a substandard building and it doesn’t meet any form of professionalism.The building materials are not of standard”.

Responding on the issue of rehabilitation of an old structure,he posited that the foundation of the structure is paramount in averting building collapse.

“When you have gotten it wrong from the foundational stage whatever is been done will not work,so you have to start from the foundation stage.If you consider the cost of renovating the structure it would be better to bring down the entire structure”.

Speaking on the issue of the topography of where the collapse building is sited,he posited:”Professionally you can build any where,it just smark gross incompetence because if just two suspended floor collapse it shows incompetence”.

On the lack of poor government monitoring on private buildings he canvassed for proper monitoring on substandard buildings.

“We are advocating for intensive building audit even for the existing buildings.This is because collapse of substandard buildings may not happen immediately but over time when settlement takes place. It depends on the soil type because some bearing capacity may be so strong that it can withstand settlement for some time but at some point it will give way”.

The building expert further proffered advise to builders.

“When you want to construct any building approach a professional and you know we have various professionals in the building sectors ie Architects,builders,Electrical Engineers and Mechanical Engineers even the Geo-Physical expert on soil testing before a structure can stand.You don’t just pick a road side messr to construct a building”.

On synergy between the NIA,NIOB and the state government,he reveal plans for a very robust synergy with the Plateau State government.

“We are presently on talking terms with government in that regards with other building professional bodies.We are going to send our positions to the government in order to help avert future occurrence of building collapse in the state”.

Eagle Eye News24 reports that the Saint Academy building collapse have so far claimed 22 lives with about 132 hospitalized in Jos,Plateau State as at the time of this report.