Adedamola Falade-Fatila, the Chairman of the Ibadan branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has hinged the rising cases of building collapse on quackery and compromise in standards.
Falade-Fatila, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Saturday, was reacting to the collapse of a building in Ibadan barely 72 hours after a similar incident in Lagos.
He said: “If every client, builder or developer consults a registered engineer to design their structures, we won’t find ourselves in this situation.
“This is purely the result of quackery and compromises in materials, skilled labour and so on.
“It is as they say in computer, garbage in, garbage out, what you put in is what you get.
“If you put in expertise, quality and professionalism, you will get a solid structure that will stand out and stand the test of time.
“The one that collapsed in Ibadan is still under construction and it gave way; that tells you that something is wrong some where.”
He said the association had been engaged in sensitisation programmes to encourage the use of engineers for projects.
“If you have a structure that is above two floors, get a registered structural engineer, and if it is not up to that, get a registered engineer to do your design for you.
“In doing that, the engineer will give you advice and supervise your project so that there would be no compromise by the time the structure is being put up.
“If you meet anyone who claims to be an engineer, ask for his proof; in the age we are now, it is easy to know a registered engineer.
“You can check on the internet; registered engineers have their names compiled by the Council for the Regulation of the Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
“Google COREN and check the person’s status by typing in his or her name; if the person is truly registered, you will find his or her name and address there.
“Anyone who claims to be an engineer and his name is not in the database of NSE and COREN is a quack,’’ he said.
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