Investigation Into The Causes Of Building Collapse In Nigeria (Case Study Of Ministry Of Housing, Lagos State)

Investigation Into The Causes Of Building Collapse In Nigeria (Case Study Of Ministry Of Housing, Lagos State)

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the study

The frequence of collapse of erecting structures in Nigeria in the former several times and recently has been largely scary and worrisome. numerous lives and means have been lost in the collapse of structures generally in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos consequently. numerous property possessors have acquired high blood pressure and others have been transferred to an early death. A visit to the collapsing scenes were as illuminating as they were woeful and one couldn’t but wonder why similar gimmick could have been allowed to live or to what length individualities may go to make costs at the price of regard for safety and respect for life. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of structures of similar characteristics dotting the skyline of several metropolises in Nigeria. That structure collapse prevalence are still routinely passing despite rising dispersion of specialized knowledge over the times begs for some reappraisal of progress in structure product and control process( Dimuna, 2010).( Dimuna, 2010).

Development and structure of property is largely vital to every existent in life, as similar, numerous persons immerse themselves in construction of property for either particular operation or for fiscal objects. In Lagos State, every investor would ask to buy a property owing to the fast profitable growth and type of investment, while some are of prestige. No investor or property proprietor will be thrilled to watch his/ her structure fall. thus, the demand to follow the needful due procedure before commencing on development of property is pivotal. structure collapse is getting a severe concern in Nigeria in general and Lagos in particular since it has a lot of influence on the frugality specially the development sector. numerous investors currently has failed owing to their strategies of developing property and thus lead to waste of numerous lives and homes worth millions or billions of Naira in certain situations. The collapse does do as a consequence of rapacity, incapacity and corruption on the side of the contractors and inventors in erecting sector. The nonsupervisory authorities and related professional associations bear collaboration to guarantee adherence to construction laws in Lagos State( Chika, 2008). The exponential population expansion and the posterior productive conditioning needed to support humanity drives the need to be decreasingly critical. The drive to meet up with this need has led to multitudinous ways of negotiating the casing and structure development some genuine and some phony approached, which lead to structures of varied characteristics. When the quality of these structures fall below specific situations, structural defeats are necessary. In the recent times, a number of breakdowns are being endured among the being structures and those under development. The failure rate has gotten this current that we’ve nearly lost track of the number of these disasters. A two- storey request galleria in Oshodi, a exurb Lagos State fell on the 28th of April 2010,, killing at least four( 4) individualities and leaving numerous further injured. Every structural system is meant to suit certain demands and be safe to help loss of life, property and detriment to the terrain. In a regular set up, failures aren’t anticipated within the planned continuance of structures. But because to the faults in the conditioning of mortal beings and the presence of so numerous other external rudiments that impact the safety of structures, failures do do( Ede, 2010). Generally, structures do collapse over time as a consequence of mortal causes similar as neglectfulness, design faults, ageing, material fatigue, harsh operating and climatic circumstances, accidents, terrorist attacks and natural disasters. But the reasons of erecting collapse in Nigeria may be related to atypical rudiments not attainable in numerous other countries. The Lagos State Government linked the top causes of collapse within the Lagos areas as deficient foundations, shy sword underpinning, poor accoutrements and workmanship and inexperience professionals, hasty construction, no soil test, rapacity, poor supervision andnon-adherence to the structure canons. As these inimical realities develop in the Nigerian erected terrain, new heads continue to arise throughout the globe. moment, the globe is defying a variety of much more significant man- made and natural challenges than the kind being brazened in the Nigerian erected surroundings. One of the primary enterprises facing the globe moment is the global climate change convinced by the loss of ozone subcaste. Our living with this issue is a fact since nearly utmost of the global problems and extremities are tied to that. Our terrain isn’t conforming naturally to the strains produced by unsustainable population expansion and the associated rise in mortal exertion. As the impacts of the climate change are being made clear over the globe, it’s now known to us that no country including Nigeria is vulnerable from its goods. The occupants living in the low- lying littoral sections of southern Nigeria, specially in Lagos are under pitfall. About half of the population of Lagosians living largely in slums and squatter colonies are vulnerable to this trouble. Though, Nigeria is a country that’s free from natural disasters like other countries of the world including the developing bone that suffers earthquakes of different magnitude, flood tide, hurricane etc, but the only prevalence that’s disturbing and claiming peoples ’ lives and parcels is the ceaseless collapse of structure in the country. The construction sector are playing a vital and dynamic part in the process of sustainable profitable growth and development of any country and further than 50 percent of the gross fixed capital budget of Nigeria generally takes the shape of construction labors( Wase, 2004). Research was carried out by( Bamidele, 2000) and( Fadamiro, 2002) on the causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria and linked the following five( 5) major causes viz; natural miracle, design error, procedural error,sub-standard material, poor workmanship, the lack of conservation, the abuse of use of erecting etc. Research set up that the inferior material and bad artificer contribute 45 percent to the total causes of erecting collapse in Lagos State.( Ogunsemi, 2002) stressed that shy accoutrements equal to18.4 percent of the overall cause of erecting collapse while bad artificer quantum to 19 percent. structure collapse may do as a consequence of colorful problem in structure which aren’t fleetly put in place by the property proprietor similar as; imperfect plastered definitions, Cracking of walls and ripping walls, imperfect rainwater particulars, Decayed bottom boards, moistness penetration via walls, and Unstable foundation.

All these faults in construction if not adequately covered announcement maintained, over time might lead to unforeseen structure collapse( Gafar, 2004). Construction collapse had been a significant issue and worry to the government and experts in structure assiduity as they’ve been making attempts in their different styles to drop this constant collapse if not completely averted. thus, this study aims to demonstrates in complete details the inquiry of the reasons of erecting collapse in Nigeria.

Statement of the problem

In the construction assiduity currently with respect to Lagos, erecting collapse has been one of the biggest challenges encountered by both the private and public contractor, whether for particular use and for fiscal objects. Lagos is a place where erecting collapse do regularly and has the loftiest number of erecting collapse circumstances that claimed roughly 64 lives during 1982- 1996( Dimuna, 2010). In the once thirty seven( 37) times( 1974- 2010), Lagos State has recorded quite a number of cases of erecting collapse in areas like Ebute- Metta, Lagos- Island, Mushin, Oshodi, Maryland, Ojuelegba, Ikeja, Agege, Idumota, Ketu, Central Lagos, Surulere, etc as well as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano that also has the high number of erecting collapse cases. This has created a veritably significant issue for people in the construction sector, the government and individualities who are involved property development in the nation and in Lagos State. The disturbing trend and cases present the issue of what can be the reason of erecting collapse in the state? Several issues have been related with this, some of which include neglectfulness, mercenariness, fragile foundations, not enough sword underpinning, rushed construction, no soil test, poor supervision andnon-adherence to the structure regulations( Ede, 2010). As part of the issue of erecting collapse, some of the builders i.e. possessors of erecting under construction diverge from their authorized designs depending more on imagination and fantasy. Secondly, the authorizing authorities are also known to fail to check compliance with authorized plans. Thirdly, some structure possessors ignore specialists in order to minimize charges. Fourthly, the high cost of construction inventories has caused unconscionable contractors with eyes on profit, to patronize poor products. These roadway tactics have contributed tremendously to the frequence of failing structures in the nation( Adeniya, 2002). Before independence, structure erected in Nigeria were in compliance with the global norms, but unexpectedly from oil painting smash of 1970 till now, all manner of lawless conditioning that unwholesome professional practices have crept in Nigeria system, all they want is just the job done minding little or nothing about professionalism. thus the forenamed difficulties and question is when will inventors in Nigeria begin to follow the necessary channel before starting on construction?, and when will the structure regulation be regulated by government for every development to take place?. thus it’s against this background that causes of erecting collapse will be looked at.

Ideal Of The Study

The primary ideal of the study is as follows

1. To probe the proposed causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria

2. To find out the effect of erecting collapse on construction companies in Nigeria

3. To examine the part played by government and other stakeholders in the construction assiduity in reducing the rate of erecting collapse in Nigeria.

4. To proffer recommendation on how structure collapse can be reduced or completely stopped.

Exploration Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study

1. What are the supposed causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria?

2. What are the effect of erecting collapse on construction companies?

3. What are the part been played by government and other stakeholders in the construction assiduity in reducing the rate of erecting collapse in Nigeria?

4. proffer recommendation on how structure collapse can be reduced or completely stopped?

Significance of the study

The study examines the causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria.

The study will be significant to the construction companies as it’ll expose the real causes as to why structures collapse

the study will be significant to the Lagos state government as it’ll make the law makers formulate a policy to guide the construction of structures.

The study will also profit the academic community as it’ll contribute to being literature and serve as a companion to scholars who may want to foster the study

Compass Of The Study

The study examines the causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria. The study also probe the proposed causes of erecting collapse in Nigeria. The study further find out the effect of erecting collapse on construction companies in Nigeria. More so the study examine the part played by government and other stakeholders in the construction assiduity in reducing the rate of erecting collapse in Nigeria. Incipiently, the study proffer recommendation on how structure collapse can be reduced or completely stopped. Hence the study is demarcated to ministry of casing Lagos state.

Limitation of the study

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows

Just like any other exploration, ranging from attainability of demanded accurate accoutrements on the content under study, incapability to get data

Financial constraint, was faced by the experimenter, in getting applicable accoutrements and in printing and collation of questionnaires

Time factor time factor disguise another constraint since having to shuttle between jotting of the exploration and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the experimenter

Description Of Terms

structure collapse any physical exertion on the point involved in the construction of a structure, cladding, external finish, formwork, institution, fitting of service installation and the unloading of factory, ministry, accoutrements or the suchlike.