Lagos Mandates Integrity Test for Buildings 10 Years, Over 

Bennett Oghifo

Lagos State will thenceforth compel all long-standing buildings from 10 years upwards to conduct integrity tests to their buildings, after which they will be presented certificates of fitness and habitation, once certified okay.

The Director, Inspectorate and Quality Control/Post Construction Audit, Epe/Ibeju- Lekki Division, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Blder Owolabi Ayoola, said this during a meeting at LABSCA‘s Office on Friday 30th, according to a statement by the Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL), Salehu-Badejo Abimbola. 

The statement said the Lagos State Government has reiterated its absolute commitment to protecting lives and properties in the State, through insightful collaborations in averting buildings’ disasters often induced by deliberate unprofessional habits of erecting structures.

A synergy between the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), was formally formed to enhance erection of structures with integrity across the metropolis.

Ayoola said this synergy was a marriage of which all liabilities and responsibilities associated with buildings across Lagos State are shared by the Agencies. 

He said, “Building Control is a checkmating Agency that checks activities of developers in Lagos State. Thus, this marriage indicates that Retrofits, Retro -construction or demolition will become a synergy following LSMTL’s reports from tests. In case of buildings’ collapse, we (Agencies) will share the liabilities and responsibilities together to ensure safety.” 

According to the statement, the General Manager, LSMTL, Engr. Olayinka Abdul, said only core professionals in specific Engineering fields, should proffer recommendations to structures, as failure to adhere to such would seem like using wrong medications for the wrong ailments.

She said, “Qualifications do not validate competency in specific Engineering fields, but only specialists should be employed on specific projects. For example, a Civil Engineer does not certify being a Structural Engineer to proffer solutions to dilapidating structures for demolition, it is only a Structural Engineer who was trained in that specialty.

“A lot of General Practitioners in Civil Engineering and other Engineering fields believe they have the capability to consult on structural defects, but this is very unprofessional and wrong, “the General Manager added.

While reiterating on the core Mandate of her Agency in advising building specialists, Engr. Abdul said, “Materials test results are coded, hence, only professionals can decode them.

These forms of decoding can only be effective with the support of Structural Engineers who are vast in the field of proffering solutions in order to salvage a defective building. If a Civil Engineer handles up to 4 floors of construction, a Structural Engineer will effectively handle 6/7 floors without issues because they have the additional knowledge to do that.”

She averred that a streamlined process of operations is underway requiring collaborations of all built industry experts LASPIC and LASBCA, along with LSMTL in automating results that will succinctly help in averting building disaster, as all involved Agencies will be copied following issuance of results from Materials Tests in order to advance further processing.

Engr. Abdul reiterated “All reports will henceforth require professional numbers/seals as part of efforts to curb all levels of professionalism in the built industry across Lagos State. That is why it will be quite difficult for a layman to pass a verdict on any structure for demolition, except he is NISTRUCTE certified.”

It may be recalled that recently, LSMTL formed an alliance with NISTRUCTE to ensure all reports are promptly interpreted following referral from tests being conducted, in order to salvage assumingly dilapidated buildings from unnecessary destruction.

The General Manager, LABSCA; Arch. Gbolahan Oki, disclosed that the details of reports emanating from LSMTL seemed vague, however, following the new liaison, which he now considers a welcomed development, to foster a layman’s understanding of safeguarding structures from collapse, as progress in the right direction.

He said, “Findings from Materials Testing Laboratory Agency often seemed like Greek, to a layman. However, this idea of getting recommendations from a Structural Engineer is quite applaudable, as it enhances dynamics and data analytical interpretation in basic understanding. I believe this becomes a statutory development to ascertain structures that are durable and devoid of defects across Lagos State.”