From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Determined to forestall loss of lives and property arising from building collapse, Ogun State has finalised plans to partner and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG).
The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olatunji Odunlami, made this known in Abeokuta when he played host to members of the Ogun state chapter of BCPG, in his office on Thursday, in Abeokuta.
Odunlami noted that the collaboration would also institutionalise effective control mechanism to ensure that all constructions in the state are captured, monitored and structurally certified from the foundation level to completion stage.
He expressed worries that the rate at which buildings are being erected without following due process, emphasising the need for concerted efforts of organized professional bodies in the sector to ensure more resilient and safer environment in the State.
The commissioner said that the initiative was the first of its kind in the nation where a state government would partner with a private body to assist government in regulatory matters.
He explained that the Guild would be expected to assist the government in the inspection and certification of building constructions in partnership with the Ogun State Building Production Management Authority (OGBPMA), urging the Guild to caution its members against any form of illegality that could damage the reputation of the state government.
In his response, the Chairman BCPG in the State, Segun Sogbetun, said the BPCG was excited to partner with the state government in its mission to guarantee safe and resilient habitat for the people, assuring that the body would be ready to give necessary professional support for government to deliver on its set objectives in the sector.