Jos School Tragedy: Senator Dickson wants Senate to strengthen laws to check incessant building collapse

By Ajiri Daniels

Senator Seriake Dickson has advocated for effective enforcement of building regulations and the engagement of professionals in the building and construction industry to mitigate the incidents of building collapses across the nation.

Senator Dickson made his submission on Wednesday while reacting to a motion moved by Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau-Central), on the two-storey building collapse of Saint Academy in Jos, Plateau State.

It would be recalled that the school, which collapsed on July 12, claimed the lives of 22 students and members of staff, while over 100 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Plang in his lead debate which was seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC – Edo North), recalled how the sad incident altered the lives of many parents, families and the government of the state.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Dickson lamented that building collapse has become a recurrent incident and has escalated with many cities across the country recording high numbers of building collapse cases.

In his additional prayer, Dickson implored the Senate to direct its relevant Committees to interface with the concerned government agencies and stakeholders in order to devise effective measures to address the menace.

His words: “These incidents keep reoccurring; churches are collapsing, schools are collapsing, hospitals are collapsing all over the country. I am speaking to the issue of how we need to harmonise building laws and do a study of the involvement of stakeholders in the building and construction industry.

“To address that, I am proposing that we direct the relevant Committees of this Senate, that is, the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Land, Housing and Urban Development, and the Committee on Works to interface with the various professional bodies and examine the legal frameworks under which they operate, and also interact with the sub-national entities so that we can determine their adequacy or otherwise, and know what to do,” the Bayelsa West Senator submitted.

At the conclusion of its deliberations, the Senate recommended stiffer penalties for violators of construction and building codes in the country. It stated that such punishment must be administered to all individuals in the line of a failed structure, including the architects, engineers, and the owners of the affected property.

A minute of silence was also observed by the lawmakers in honour of those who died in the tragic school building collapse. In addition, Senators urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief materials to families of victims and those affected by the school building collapse in Jos.