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 NEWS EXTRA

LAWS ARE NOT ENFORCED BY NIGERIA ---BARR. FALANA

By Leo Ezekiel

Speaking as the key note speaker at the 51^st conference and Annual General Meeting 2021 of the Nigeria institute Of Building (NIOB) held at Dipodium Event Centre, Araromi street of Allen avenue, Ikeja, Lagos Barr. Femi Falana SAN stated that laws are not enforced in Nigeria by the powers that be.

 Although the theme of the 51^st conference and AGM of NIOB is (Advancing Technologies, systems and standards for sustainable building construction) yet, the key noten speaker Barr Falana SAN titled is lecture (Engagement of only registered builder’s for managing building production and construction: Keeping the law and keeping the society save) as he stated that there are o many building collapses in the entire space of the breadth and length of Nigeria which he adduced that it is really a sad situation for all and sundry, but, majorly the victims who are residence of those doing businesses in the case of commercial rented buildings. 

He says NIOB has continually gathered their members and other stake holders year in, year out discussing the issues of building collapse. But, he clearly and largely stated that NIOB should rather come up with cheering news of how many builders they have disciplined has a result of cutting corners with right materials for putting up a complete building adding that the laws are suppose to make the offenders pay compensations to the victims to the victims  as he says that recently an undergraduate of university of Lagos, akoka Yaba Lagos was electrocuted and several other students injured. He says that the parents of the electrocuted guy did approach his chambers and that his chambers did file him a letter to the electric company and pronto he says that the management of the electric firm raise down to his chambers and sort for  settlement rather than going to a competent court of law adding that if they should go to the court, that their company will be liquidated because many victims will now be filing litigations against them.

He says that the electric company paid a ransom of 55 million naira only to the parents of the electrocuted guy. He cited many cases of injustice in the body polity adducing that he is not particularly against the military authorities because they are doing a great job of providing security for lives and properties of the citizenry. 

He says that the ruling class has failed all the citizenry in all ramifications as terrorist have been having field day without any of the terrorists apprehended for prosecutions adding that he filed a case against the military when they court marshaled about seventy soldiers to death, but, he tells the audience that his chambers argued the case at the court of law and at the end of the defense the death sentences handed over to them was commuted to ten years incarcerations and he happily inform the audience that those seventy soldiers have completely served at there jail terms and now they are free citizen of Nigeria. But, again, he tells the participants that the offences of the seventy soldiers convicted was only asking the high ranking authorities of the military for weapons to save guard the country he stated that the population of Nigeria is 205 million while that of Brazil is 208 million persons and that the national budget of Brazil stood at 650 Billion Dollars for year 2020 and very sadly that of Nigeria stood at US 30 Bllions Dollars. 

He queried that why is it that Nigeria with the same size of population with Brazil will budget such a paltry some of moneys for national development adding that the ruling class as failed the citizenry. He says again that on June 24 this year that there was building collapse in America and that the court have already awarded 150 million dollars to the victims whereas the case is still  ongoing adding that if it is in Nigeria no such money will be giving to the victims of building collapse. 

He said if the laws are properly enforced that it takes only 28 days to determine cases of building collapses at any competent court of law. He did not disappoint the uncommon crowds who came from all walks of life. Speaking to the audience the chairman of the event, the former Governor of Ogun State Engr. Otunoba Gbenga Daniel stated that Nigeria monies do not stay in Nigeria because the power that are always in the habit of disregarding local contents while preferring foreign contents. 

He says that by so doing Nigeria has remain one of the poorest nations in the globe. He states that when he called the shots at the government house Abeokuta, Ogun State that all the contract be awarded to Nigerians not foreigners adding that the moneys of great Britain remain in Britain that of U.S.A remain in the US that of Germany stay in Germany, but, very sadly he says that of Nigeria could not remain in Nigeria rather the powers that be and their collaborators milk Nigeria dry through the processes of awarding contract to the foreigners. 

He challenge the members of NIOB to pragmatically stand up and deal with quackery in the building industries adding that once there are able to checkmate the activity of Non-registered fake builders that the incidences of building collapse will be drastically reduced. Speaking to his members and other stakeholders the outgoing National president Bur. Kunle Awobodu stated a thorough research titled (Rescuing Building Profession from quackery)  and of a truth he did deliver a seven page researched conference paper where recorded building collapse in Nigeria incidents in Nigeria from October 1974 to July 2021

Lagos = 295

Abuja = 16                   Enugu = 7                    Niger = 2                        Owo = 16

Ogun = 7                     Kebbi = 2                     Anambra = 16                 Plateau = 6

Ekiti = 2                       Kano = 9                      Kaduna = 6                    Cross- river = 2

Ondo = 9                     Edo = 6                         Sokoto = 1                      Abia = 9

Kwara = 8                    Osun = 5                      Akwa- ibom = 1                 Rivers = 8

Benue = 3                    Kogi = 1                       Delta = 8                            Adamawa = 3

Kastina = 1                  Ebony = 3

 

Total = 461

And, when there figures were given the participants are shell shocked with there staggering numbers of building collapse in Nigeria and with this high numbers in Lagos many persons have sent to their early graves all because of quackery. Speaking to his members of NIOB and other uncommon stakeholders the chairman planning committee of the 51^st builders conference and AGM 2021 stated that the 51^st AGM conference is an historic gathering of builders all over the nation adding that the AGM/conference have gathered all her sundry to witness what began 51 years ago and that they are thanking God for the life of those pioneers who started it all. 

He states that he will immediately pay tribute to their late. Builder Omoh Oba – fatai the first president of the institute who pass on to great beyond recently. Speaking further to the crowds he says that this year’s AGM/conference with the theme Advancing Technologies Systems and Standards for Sustainable Building Construction, Promises to be an Enlightened and Insightful conference as he added that they all know, that the whole globe Is in a new order and a new norm and as builders as they lead to prepare themselves for the next level of challenges associated with their professions and be well prepared to take up these new challenges. 

Speaking further to the audience he stated that inline with the new order of the Covid – 19 all government regulations and protocols will be observed during the AGM/conference by members and guest are therefore encouraged to co-operate with conference officials and appear strictly with all Covid – 19 protocols and regulations.

Speaking further to the participants he states that as professional body their aim is to provide Nigeria and the citizenry with professionals who would through integrity, competence and excellence and provide sustainable shelter and facilities for the use of humanity as they discharge there primary duties of building production management, maintenance and facility management. 

Speaking with jourenalists chairman, ace committee on Urban and Regional related matters at the federal houyse of representative Hon. Jide Jimoh stated that NIOB has a great deal of challenges of dismantling the chain of quackery in the building sector adding that if the parks are properly sifted out from the loop, that the incidences of building collapse will be outdated. 

Speaking with journalists the general Manager Owerri Capital Development Authority(OCDA) in Imo state. Engr. Ikpamezia Innocent Ikechukwu stated that the NIOB Executives should in all seriousness stamp their feet on the floor so that quackery could be effectively and efficiently outdated so that the incidences of building collapse will be heavily reduce to the barest minimum adding that many innocent Nigerian souls have been transported to their early graves due to building collapse. 

Speaking further he says that both the key note speaker Barr. Falana SAN and the Chairman of event Engr. Otunba Daniel former Ogun state governor submitted to the participants in their discourse that they has to be enforcement of the laws in the body polity so that law breakers with impunities would be adequately punished so as to serve as deterrent to would be quacks in the future.