NSE Chairman condemn those still dying in collapses buildings in Nigeria
By Elvis Omoregie
Sahara Weekly Reports That the wake of the continuing collapsed of construction works, roads and bridges in the state and Nigeria, the Edo State Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has discussed new ways and approaches to thinking on how to professionally improve to avoid the continuing deterioration of buildings in Edo State.
State chairman, Benin Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr Evukowhiroro Ojegba. yesterday condemned the continuing loss of lives at several collapsed sites in Edo State and Nigeria in general. The Chairman made the statement yesterday in Benin City, during the inauguration of the PIFAC Prevention Investigation Failure And Committee established by the Chapter.
Engr Ojegba said the numerous failures and loss of lives while building structures in the society prompt the NSE to decide to come out strong and advocate more on the unnecessary failures that are going on in the state and all over the country.
“This instructions are coming from our National headquarters, from the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, who had instructed all state chairmen to set up PIFAC. PIFAC means, the Prevention, Investigation and Failure Analysis Committee, so that we would be able to prevent failure and other accidents that will result from failure of structures, production and others.
“The Committee set up and inaugurated today will be guided by the laws that are guiding the body. There is a bylaw that is guiding the body, and some of these rules are to ensure they do analysis to prevent failures. And whenever we have failures, they conduct investigation to know the root cause of the matter.
“The major aspect of Engineer is that Engineers should be in the site to prevent failures. Apart from that, one of their major roles is to ensure we flush out quackery from Edo state. Governments should not engage people that are not Engineers. Is unprofessional you see alot of quacks parading themselves as Engineers where as they’re not.
“We have been at the back for so long, but this time around we are moving forward. For those who parade themselves as Engineers, and they are not. We will make our recommendations know to the governments and the bodies that would carry out the appropriate sanctions Engr. Ojegba added”
Responding while assuring the Engineers on how to carry out their works, the Chairman of the Committee, Engr. Dr. Ebuka Nwankwo, said what they are going to do is to advise the governments, stakeholders in the building industry and the society the best ways to go.
He said,” This is an opportunity to served the society. You know the impact and the implication of failures are much. The economy loss, loss of lives and properties, investment property, even the tax payers money.
“So our job now is to take the place we should take in the society to advise governments, the public and all stakeholders in the environments.
“So what we are going to do now is to make our voice heard. Advise the public and stakeholders, go around to know if you have cases concerning Infrastructural projects, let us know. We have the skills, expertise and capacity to do so.
“When we look at those things and advise you and the owners of the projects, and also advise governments at large. So that at the end of the day, cases of Engineering failure will be reduced. Be it Mechincal Engineering, Civil Engineering and Petroluem Engineering will be reduce to the bearest minimum level.
Admonishing the chairman and other members of the Committee, former Chairman Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. (Dr.) Victor Obanor, agreed with the present State Chairman that there is need to flush out quacks from the profession.
Engr. Victor Obanor, a Permanent Secretary, Edo State Government Electricity Regulatory Commission, and a member of the Advisory Board to PIFAC, said it is a great privilege to serve at the Board at a higher capacity.
He said, ” in fact, PIFAC is a body proactively to ensure sanity is restore to the building industry in the state and Nigeria. We want a situation whereby we can intervene before the failure happens.
“Not after the failure has happened before we start looking for the next solutions. I agreed with the Edo state Chairman of NSE that there is need to flush out quacks away from the industry.
“NSE does not encourages quackery for the derrement of the professional integrity. We discover that a lot of persons are parading themselves, as engineers in the State .
“Those quacks did not really belong to our profession. We want to fish them out, and ensure the standard are restore. We want to also ensure quality materials are injected into the building industry.
“So that the high state of failure will reduce and we can move forward. So that the risk will be brought to the bearest minimum. It is the intention of the Committee to create the needed security through Infrastructural integrity to be restored, that is our basic aims,” Engr. Obanor stressed.
Those inaugurated were, Engr. Dr. Ebuka Nwankwo (PIFAC Chairman)
• Engr. Tina E. Oigiagbe
• Engr. Osayamen Airhunmwunde
• Engr. Dr. Ehizonomhen Solomon Okonofua
• Engr. Prince Nowamagbe Ogbeifun
• Engr. Kenneth Iroh
• Engr. Wilson O. Asemota
• Engr. Odigie Eseosa
• Engr. Sunny Isidahomen Ojokoh
• Engr. Promise Nnadi
• Engr. Chukudi E. Akpotowho
• Engr. Martin Amune
• Engr. Randolph Deh Opute
• Engr. Louis I. Ojo
• Engr. Oby P. Obeta
• Engr. Edionwe Evans
ADVISORY MEMBERS
• Hon. Ethan Uzamere
• Prof. Engr. Jacob Odeh Ehiorobo
• Engr. Dr. Victor Obanor
• Engr. Ferguson Enabulele
• Engr. Osikhena Ojior FNSE, FNICE, PMP
Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Ogujor
• Engr. Prof Sunday O. Onahaebi
• Mr. Dennis Oloriegbe MD EDSTMA
