FG Orders Investigation into Kano Building Collapse

•Dangiwa advocates adoption of green, climate-smart housing

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, decried the recent building collapse in Noman’s Land Quarters in Kano and ordered a full scale investigation into the incident.

A two-storey building in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State was reported to have collapsed and trapped many people inside.

A report by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) revealed that two bodies were recovered from the rubbles, while two persons were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Dangiwa, in a statement in Abuja, directed the relevant officials to quickly investigate the Kano collapse, stressing that the government will take decisive action after the submission of the findings.

The minister, who lamented the recurrence of building collapses in the country, emphasised the need for an overhaul of the system and full implementation of building codes and regulations.

He described the Kano collapse incident as another sad development exposing the rot in the building industry over the years, which, if unchecked, will remain catastrophic to the industry and society.

Dangiwa called on state governments to rise to the challenge and the relevant agencies to swing into action to pre-empt anything capable of causing a building collapse.

The minister recalled the last Jos school building collapse and stated that the federal government was committed to getting to the root of the matter and prosecuting anyone found culpable.

He stated, “I have received the report of the Jos collapse investigation and a checklist of all professionals involved in the construction is being compiled for us to take action.”

Dangiwa assured that government will do what was needed to deter others from putting Nigerians at risk with their reckless and unprofessional activities. He stated that the ministry was working on a robust regulation mechanism with relevant stakeholders in the industry to enforce building codes across the country, in close collaboration with the states.

“I implore the state governments, who are closer to the people and directly supervising the land, to wake up and be more effective in checking the excesses of quacks in the building construction industry,” the minister stated.

He explained that relevant agencies should ensure due diligence was observed in the issuance of building permit and find out if all approvals were given for all categories of building.

Dangiwa also made a case for the adoption of green, sustainable, and climate smart housing designs and technologies in the country’s housing industry, and charged professionals in the sector to be innovative and ingenious.

Speaking at the 2024 Archibuilt Exposition organised by the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), yesterday in Abuja, the minister urged the institute and other professionals to find alternative and sustainable solutions to the housing needs in Nigeria.

He stated, “We have seen transformative ideas presented at previous expositions, from using sustainable building materials to energy-efficient designs, water conservation techniques, and zero-emission construction technologies.

“The ongoing conversations will shape the future of construction in Nigeria and resonate globally. Innovation, built on technology and equitable resource utilisation models, is what we need.”

The minister highlighted the critical role of architects in achieving the SDG -11, which calls for sustainable cities and communities, stating that architects hold the power to design urban spaces that are inclusive, resilient, and adaptive to the needs of the future.

He urged architects to rise to the occasion on the issues of rapid rural-urban migration and astronomic population growth, which put strain on infrastructure.

Dangiwa stated that African countries had struggled to respond to the challenges of rapid rural-urban migration and the surging population estimated to hit 2.5 billion by 2050, with Nigeria alone said to account for over 400 million, ranking third largest country globally.