Kunle Awobodu In, As Builders Tasked On Pragmatic Solution In Building Industry
The immediate past president of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIoB), Kenneth Nduka, has maintained that the solution to redeeming the built sector from the various embarrassing challenges plaguing it rests on the shoulders of professional builders.
Nduka made this assertion during his valedictory speech at the 49th AGM of the Institute held in Port Harcourt Rivers State recently where he added that by training, that the Builder can identify existing and predictable hazards in a building construction and that he is capable of taking indemnifiable measures to mitigate against these hazards.
Building production management role, he reiterated, is within the domain of the Builder. That role, according to him, confers on him the responsibilities of managing the building construction processes on site; planning and programming of the works; and lastly, ensuring that within the prescribed cost and time limits, the workmanship standards and quality of the finished building, suitably satisfies the requirements of both the user and the owner of the project.
“The Builder therefore is the essential medium through which all briefs, designs and expectations of all stakeholders in building design and development are transformed into three dimensional physical realities. Accordingly, the co-ordination of the activities of the team: subcontractors, craftsmen, suppliers and all other professionals whose input will impact the successful execution and safety of the building remains his primary challenge.”
In the same vein, he highlighted that some of the challenges confronting the sector include: Prevailing rivalry and role usurpation among built environment professionals and the ugly distraction it poses on a safe and successful project delivery services.
In this wise, he called on professionals to exercise their respective responsibilities within their professional training and charter exposures so as to reduce the prevalent quackery and poor quality project delivery; collapses and death in the sector.
Also, he mentioned the issue of apparent lack of efficiency and due processes in the evaluation and management of various phases of building projects delivery. These ranges from the pre design stage, design state, construction and post construction stages.
“ There should be a paradigm shift for project conceptualization; cost estimation; environmental impact assessment; statutory approval process requirements; application of appropriate production methodology and technology; management of the site execution processes, as well as the enforcement of specified quality standards in workmanship, materials, and occupational health and safety.”
He also decried the non-domestication of the National Building Code, which recognises the specialist roles-confinement and operation peculiarities of building projects.
The complexities of the above challenges, he indicated, place a huge demand on investment resources.
During the occasion of the 49th AGM, Kunle Awobodu, founder of Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) was sworn in as the 21st president of the Institute
