Civil engineers in Anambra State have intensified efforts to eliminate quackery in the construction sector, warning that the continued engagement of unqualified practitioners remains a leading cause of recurring building and infrastructure collapses across the state.
The renewed advocacy was led by the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), Anambra State Chapter, during a nationwide awareness rally held in Awka over the weekend. The exercise, tagged “Walk Against Building and Infrastructure Collapse (2.0),” featured a 15-kilometre walk across the Awka Capital Territory aimed at drawing public attention to the dangers of unsafe construction practices.
Addressing participants, the State Chairman of NICE, Engr. Chidi Obiudu, said the rally was part of a broader campaign to promote adherence to professional standards and safeguard lives and property.
According to him, many incidents of building collapse are avoidable if construction activities are handled by qualified professionals and guided by established engineering principles.
“This nationwide advocacy walk reinforces the urgent need for strict compliance with engineering standards and the ‘Build Right, Build Safe’ principle,” Obiudu said. “Building collapse is one of the most preventable tragedies in our built environment, yet it continues to claim lives because standards are ignored.”
He described the campaign as a collective call on regulators, construction professionals, artisans and the general public to reject quackery, prioritise safety and patronise certified civil engineers.
Participants at the rally carried placards with messages such as “Say No to Building Collapse,” “Patronise Professional Civil Engineers,” “Safe Building Is a Human Right,” and “Weak Foundations Lead to Tragedies,” as they marched through major parts of the state capital.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Works in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Emma Nwafor, commended NICE for sustaining the advocacy and for involving engineering students from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, in the campaign.
Nwafor, who represents Orumba South State Constituency, disclosed that the state government has enacted laws to curb quackery in the construction industry, adding that a task force has been established to enforce compliance.
He explained that the legislation, sponsored by himself and 28 other lawmakers, was designed to regulate construction activities, reduce incidents of infrastructure failure and sanction individuals or organisations involved in unsafe building practices.
The lawmaker called for closer collaboration among relevant agencies, including NICE, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory (ASMTL), the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) and the Anambra State Physical Planning Board.
He expressed concern over weak regulation and monitoring, noting that artisans and unqualified persons had taken over critical structural jobs, while duplication of approval stamps had further undermined effective building control in the state.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory, Engr. Ebosie Ezeoke, said the agency plays a critical role in preventing building collapse through scientific testing of construction materials.
Represented by a senior official, Vivian Nnemelu, Ezeoke said the laboratory conducts tests on soil, concrete, steel and asphalt to ensure structural integrity and minimise the loss of lives and property.
Earlier, the Vice Chairman of NICE, Engr. Chidi Anuligo, urged authorities to intensify actions against quacks and ensure the use of quality construction materials, while also encouraging communities to monitor projects within their localities.
Also speaking, the Faculty of Engineering Students’ Leader at UNIZIK, Emmanuel Nnonyelu, attributed frequent building collapses to corruption, weak regulation, substandard materials and the activities of unqualified practitioners, stressing that professional ethics must take precedence over profit in engineering practice.
