Reps To Probe Surge In Building Collapses

ABUJA – The House of Repre­sentatives has direct­ed its committees on Works, Environ­ment, Housing, and Safety Standards to investigate the persistent issue of building collapses in Nigeria.

The committees are tasked with uncovering the root causes of the frequent inci­dents and recommending long-term solutions to curb the problem.

The committees are expect­ed to report back within four weeks to facilitate further leg­islative action.

The House resolution was the outcome of a motion titled “Need to Investigate the Men­ace of Incessant Building Col­lapse in Nigeria,” sponsored by Hon. Aderemi Oseni.

While presenting the mo­tion, the lawmaker said that it is the government’s primary responsibility to safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens.

However, the recurring cases of building collapses, particularly in major cities, have raised significant con­cerns.

He cited a tragic incident on July 12, 2024, when 154 peo­ple were trapped under the debris of a two-story build­ing in Saint Academy, Busa Buji community, Jos, Plateau State, leading to the death of 22 people.

This, he noted, is just one of many incidents across the country.

He further pointed out that, according to media re­ports, Nigeria recorded 135 building collapse incidents between 2022 and July 2024.

These incidents, Oseni warned, highlight the urgent need for government inter­vention to prevent further loss of lives and property.

Oseni cautioned, “If noth­ing is done to urgently com­bat this emergency, more lives and properties will be lost, and the devastating im­pact on communities and the economy will be severe.”

The lawmaker also ex­pressed his concerns regard­ing the effectiveness of regula­tory bodies such as the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) and other professional associations.

He stressed that these bod­ies are responsible for enforc­ing building regulations and ensuring that best practices in engineering are adhered to.

However, Oseni noted that lapses in oversight and enforce­ment have allowed unsafe con­struction practices to persist.

Nigeria has a troubling history of building collapses. In 2021, a 21-story building collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos, killing 42 people, a disaster that shocked the nation and led to widespread condemnation of lax enforce­ment of building codes.