The newly elected president of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Mrs. Mobolaji Adeola Adeniyi, has called on the government at all levels to patronize only registered architects in an effort to curb the growing cases of building collapse in the country.
Adeniyi made the call on Sunday in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, during her post-inauguration ceremony as the 30th president of the NIA. She attributed the loss of lives and property due to building collapse to the engagement of unqualified individuals, also known as quacks, to handle construction projects.
“We have seen a lot of buildings collapsed in Nigeria because professionals were not involved in the process leading to the implementation of such projects,” Adeniyi stated.
She emphasized the crucial role of architects in the building industry, explaining that their involvement is essential from the inception of a project to its completion. Architects design and supervise construction projects to ensure that they adhere to global standards and are structurally sound.
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“When every building has an architect, qualified engineers, and all other related professionals handling these projects, we will not be having incidents of building collapse,” she asserted.
Adeniyi pledged the NIA’s commitment to working closely with the government to ensure that registered architects are engaged for all construction projects, regardless of their size or scope. She also expressed confidence in the competence of Nigerian architects, stating that there is no need to bring in foreign architects as the country has a pool of qualified professionals capable of handling any project effectively.
In addition to addressing building collapse, Adeniyi also highlighted the challenges faced by architects in Nigeria, particularly the shortage of architects in planning departments across the country. She stressed the need for all 774 local governments in Nigeria to have qualified and registered architects on staff to approve construction drawings.
Adeniyi further called for greater recognition and patronage of architects by all tiers of government, corporate organizations, and individuals. She emphasized that every architect in Nigeria is trained and licensed to carry out their duties, and their expertise is crucial for ensuring safe and sustainable construction practices.
Source: Tribune Newspaper