Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has been urged to set up a modular laboratory for testing of construction materials in Onitsha to check the prevalence of sub-standard building materials in the South East.
A senior lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Celestine Ezeagu, made the call yesterday at a workshop organised by SON in the university.
Ezeagu, who spoke on the topic, “Building Collapse in Nigeria”, said the South East zone and Anambra in particular had recorded more incidents of building collapse than any other part of the country.
He called for urgent steps to curb the trend and urged SON to establish a modular materials testing laboratory in Onitsha.
“In order to arrest completely the factors of sub-standard materials (steel and other construction materials), SON should as a matter of urgency establish a modular material testing laboratory at Bridge Head, Onitsha
“This will help to certify the materials before they are distributed to end users and the sub-standard product confiscated at the point of entry. This will also help you to generate the needed revenue to carry out your duties. Conduct of soil test is very essential for all classes of building and structural analysis must be made mandatory,” he said.
Coordinator of SON in Anambra, Mrs Nwaoma Olujie, in her remarks, said the workshop was meant to address the menace of building collapse in the country and proffer lasting solutions.
She urged participants to ensure that they comply with approved building regulations, noting that only competent and registered professionals should be engaged in the building process.