…Advise on construction programming using primavera 6

Stories by Maduka Nweke

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The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has decried the menace of incessant building collapse in the country, saying it has got to a worrisome level. The institute made the submission at the 2017 edition of its mandatory continuous professional development programme held in four different locations in Nigeria, including Lagos and Abuja, Katsina and Uyo. 

At the meeting, participants were taken through first principles, real life case studies and simulations of what has happened in the most recent past in the area of building collapse. From the two-day workshop, there were indications that avoidable fatalities, accidents, waste and double-handling are the effects of improper layout of sites during construction. 

Consequently, NIOB observed that construction site layouts have not always been well defined and designed at the commencement of a building construction project by a registered builder. The institute, in a communique made available to Daily Sun, believes that temporary site layout planning for building construction works are services rendered by builders that the Nigerian public should take advantage of.

The institute agreed that construction methodology has effects on project deliverables such as time, cost and quality. “On the same project, different construction methodologies will lead to different project outcomes. The use of construction methodology on building projects in Nigeria with its attendant advantages is not yet pervasive. Consequently, Nigerian public and private clients are enjoined and required to embrace the use of Construction Methodology Document duly prepared by registered builders for their building construction works. “Registered builders are equally enjoined to prepare this critical document on all their building projects for all public and private entities.”

While the construction methodology is a precursor to the preparation of construction programme, a construction programme has implication on time, cost, resource deployment, safety and even the legal status of a project. Some collapsed buildings are attributable to unrealistic and unprofessionally projected time frames. Consequently, the workshop enjoins all public and private sectors, procuring and executing entities, to request for and use construction programme duly prepared by registered builders for time and other resource management.

Poor project record keeping affects future projections of projects. 

“Additionally, poor housekeeping (project site cleaning) can lead to avoidable hazards on project sites. Consequently, there should be proper record keeping of different activities during and after the life span of a project.

Proper housekeeping should be planned and cost into the project as routine practices and should start as soon as the building project starts. Builders should enhance these best practices on their projects while clients should play their roles accordingly.”

NIOB believes that environmental nuisance (manifesting in such issues as area boys/Omo onile syndrome, etc.) affects delivery time on projects, stressing the need for other states of the federation to enact anti-environmental nuisance laws just like Lagos State.

The programme was attended by stakeholders in the industry, including but not limited to the pioneer President of NIOB and the doyen of the Building profession in Nigeria, Otunba Fatai  Osikoya and Oba of Odo Ayandolu in Lagos State, Aderibigbe Asumo, who added grace and grandeur to the event.

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Other eminent personalities were the Commissioner, Kastina State Ministry of Works, Tasi’u Dahiru Dandagoro; the Permanent Secretary, Kastina State Ministry of Works, Hafiz Ilyasu Wali; the Permanent Secretary, Cross River State Ministry of Works, Charles Eyong; the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Dotun Lasoju; the General Manager, Katsina Housing Authority, Alhaji Salusu Daura. Equally present was Nigeria’s first female registered builder and current  Chairman, NIOB College of Fellows, Mrs. Bola Araba.

The resource persons and facilitators included Prof. Martin Dada, Vice Chairman, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, (CORBON); Olufemi Akinsola, Head, Building Department, Yaba College of Technology; Dr. Joshua Olorunkiya; Mr. Gianpiero Salgarella, Executive Director, Technical, Cappa and D’Alberto Plc; Prof. Yohanna Izam, 3rd Vice President of NIOB; Collins Nwoko; Christopher Belonwu; Musa Yakubu; Msheila Bata; Aliyu Dada, Dr. Umoh Akaninyene and Joseph Anejoh.

 


Nigeria has huge potential for  tunnelling, underground facilities

The Minister of Transport and Aviation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the hosting of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space conference in Nigeria was a welcome development aimed at providing the country inroads into the industry.

Speaking at the first Nigeria International Tunnelling and Underground Space conference held in Lagos recently, the Minister said that some cities in Nigeria, including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt have all it takes to bring about tunnelling in the country.

The Minister, who was represented by Freeborn Ohkira at the event, stated that with the conference with the theme, “Developing the Tunnelling and Underground Space Industry in Nigeria,” one is more convinced about the readiness of Nigeria to seize opportunities that abound around the world to solve myriads of its development deficits.

He said that the presence of Dr. Tarcisio Celestino, President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space, as well as other partners from all over the world was an assurance of the belief of the global community in Nigeria’s potential to attain the dream.  He assured that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, in line with its concept of promised change, places so much hope in the young people, in the ingenuity of professional bodies and in every Nigerian all over the world, to deploy their God-endowed potential towards the growth, development and prosperity of the nation.

Amaechi added that going by the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan draft of 2013, Nigeria needs about $2.9 trillion in 30 years to close its infrastructural gap. Recent reports (2016) suggest that the country requires between $12 billion and $15 billion annually for the next six years to meet the infrastructure requirements. At current market rates, this amounts to over N7 trillion per year.

Closing this gap, therefore, demands commitment from government but not without the inclusion of all Nigerians and relevant stakeholders in the key sectors for the development of the country’s infrastructure. 

Amaechi added: “In this spirit, we commend TAN for its initiative to opening up this emerging trend, first in building capacities of Nigerians to embrace the imperatives of developing our underground space, which is long overdue, and broadening it to combat the challenges and mitigate the impacts of congestion and other needs in Nigeria’s growing cities.

“Much more, I understand that underground space development will be a major inter-ministerial commitment to respond to our national needs. This informed our willingness and devotion to buy into this vision and I can assure you that this administration will do everything possible to provide an enabling environment for this vision to blossom, mature and be embraced as major factor in our quest for national planning in the areas of road, rail, flood control, power and other areas.”