Ebonyi State Government has commenced the clampdown of unapproved buildings and structures located in the capital city Abakaliki.
The State Commissioner for Capital City Development Chief Sunday Inyima, made the disclosure in Abakaliki on Wednesday when he led a Joint Inspection team comprising of officials from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), on holistic inspection of buildings .
He said that the initiative was part of the Ministry Action Programme for 2024 geared towards ensuring comformity with building codes.
“We will henceforth embark on random checks to ensure that buildings were properly approved”
“The Physical Inspection will be a weekly exercise, in synegy with members of COREN and CORBON professional bodies”
According to him, “The Ministry of Capital City Development (MCCD), has commenced a. complete holistic Physical inspection of all buildings located in the capital city.
The Commissioner noted that the objective was to ensure that Builders comform with building codes and regulations.
“The aim is to ensure that what is on ground comforms with the designs and drawings”
During the team visit of Project Sites located at King David Estate Centenary City Abakaliki, the team sealed the premises of building sites whose site Engineers/ Builders were unable to present the approved building plans.
Earlier in an interview, the Chairman of Ebonyi State Technical Committee of Council for Regulation of Engineering Engr Enyinlnaya Eni, said that Nigeria Society of Engineers condemn in totality the use of quacks in the construction of buildings .
” The Council has been making efforts to collaborate with the Ministry of Capital City Development to make sure that quackery is eliminated in the State”
“Every of the Design that is being used in the. field come to the Ministry, to ensure that from the design and approval stage, we should be able to discuss with the Developers”
Contributing, the South -East Zonal Cordinator of Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Building Mr Nwekete Jonathan, commended the State Government for initiating the Physical Inspection of Buildings.
“This will help the Government to support the peofessionals in this task, we are moving round to make sure that in each site, a Builder is there”
“In every site, it is expected that there must be a registered Builder, who has the power according to the Builders Act to manage the Day to Day construction of that particular building”
“It is the duty of the Engineer to ensure that the builder is following what is obtainable in the Drawing”
“CORBON in an effort to bridge this gap, has resorted to more registration of membership, by inducting 420 builders nationwide in December 14th 2023”
