Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has called for strict penalties to be imposed on engineers responsible for building collapses across the country.
Oshiomhole’s statement highlights the growing concern over the alarming rate of building failures in the country.
Oshiomhole’s stance aligns with the views of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), who have also advocated for stiffer penalties on owners of collapsed buildings and the project handlers.
The former governor emphasizes that hardly ever are contractors who handled the project prosecuted or punished, underscoring the lack of accountability in the construction industry.
In response to the issue, the Senate has recently called for stiffer punishment for violation of construction and building codes in the country to contain the menace of building collapses.
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has also advocated for stricter punishments for those responsible for building collapses, with the aim of deterring future incidents. Under the SON Act, resellers of substandard building materials face fines of at least 15% of the value or one million Naira (whichever is higher), or a minimum two-year jail term.