Weak building materials responsible for Plateau school building collapse- Panel

The Investigative panel set up by the Federal Government on the two-storey school building which collapsed in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Friday, killing over 22 persons has released a preliminary report on the incident.

Addressing journalists in Jos on Tuesday, the Director General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Samson Duna, said that the panel headed by O.F. Job of the Building Department at the University of Jos revealed that the physical observation of the building looked distressed, adding that weak materials were used for the building.

Job said the report also depicted that the quantity of concrete used in the two-story building was in doubt as there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement, adding that the slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate.

The DG said, “The committee has commenced its investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the physical observation of the building looks distressed.

“The quantity of concrete is in doubt because there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement.

“The slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate. The sizes of the footing (foundation) provided were lesser than the required number (1200 mm X 1200mm). A comprehensive report on the investigation will be presented at the conclusion of the investigation”

Duna advised the government and other professional bodies in the construction industry to insist on carrying out integrity tests on all distressed buildings, especially those around the collapsed building site.

He stated that the institute has so far intervened in more than 60 cases of building collapses in Nigeria, adding that with Nigeria experiencing an average of 20 building collapses annually, especially during the rainy season, there is a need to fight the menace of building collapse.

He also advocated for a multifaceted framework to prevent future occurrences, adding that all organs of government and professional bodies responsible for building construction must enforce strict compliance with building codes, regulations, and standards.

He said the country has continued to experience building collapse because there have been no regular inspections and penalties for non-compliance, adding that from the available records, no one has been sanctioned for negligence or found wanting in relation to building collapse.

“There should be professionalism by ensuring that only qualified professionals like registered architects, engineers, and builders are involved in building projects. In a situation where a contractor borrows a certificate from a professional to execute a job, both the contractor and the owner of the certificate should be sanctioned.

“Public awareness should be reinforced by educating the public on the importance of building safety and the risk of illegal construction. This is necessary because many are not aware of what they need to do before they embark on building projects,” he added

He called for collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, professionals and the public, to share knowledge and global best practices and further called for refresher training among the professionals in the country.

The According had earlier reported that a two-storey building housing Saint Academy located at the Busa Buji community in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State collapsed on Friday morning while students and teachers were in their classes.

The incident resulted in the death of over 22 persons while about 154 persons trapped under the rubbles were evacuated to various hospitals