Yusuf Ebiti
The Chairman of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Lagos Chapter, Dr. Tony Aspire Kolawole, has condemned the recurring spate of building collapses across the country, declaring that the latest incidents in Rivers and Lagos States were avoidable disasters driven by negligence, regulatory failure and a culture of impunity.
Reacting to the collapse of a five-storey building in Rivers State on June 24 and a three-storey structure in the Alakija area of Lagos yesterday, Kolawole said the nation could no longer afford to treat building collapses as unfortunate accidents when they were, in reality, the consequences of human recklessness and institutional failure.
Describing the twin incidents as a national emergency, he lamented that innocent Nigerians continue to lose their lives because established building standards are routinely compromised without consequences for those responsible.
“Buildings do not collapse by accident,” he said. “They collapse because individuals deliberately cut corners, substitute quality materials with substandard ones, manipulate approval processes, ignore professional advice and evade statutory inspections. Every building collapse is a tragic indictment of failed regulation, failed ethics and failed enforcement.”
The REDAN Lagos chairman maintained that unless government agencies abandon what he described as a pattern of “reactive governance without accountability,” the country would continue to witness preventable disasters.
Kolawole called on the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and other building control agencies across the federation to immediately commence comprehensive structural integrity inspections, particularly in densely populated urban centres where aging and poorly supervised buildings pose significant risks.
He also urged state governments to move beyond demolishing defective structures by ensuring the criminal prosecution of erring developers, contractors, consultants, property owners and public officials found to have compromised building regulations.
“Demolition alone is not justice,” he said. “Until those whose actions or negligence lead to these disasters are prosecuted and convicted, others will continue to treat human lives as expendable.”
He further challenged the Lagos State House of Assembly to urgently review and strengthen the state’s building control laws by introducing stiffer penalties for regulatory violations, reinforcing legislative oversight and closing legal loopholes that allow non-compliance to thrive.
According to him, the Assembly has a critical responsibility to enact reforms capable of restoring public confidence in the state’s building regulatory framework.
Addressing members of the real estate profession, Kolawole said the industry must rid itself of unethical operators whose disregard for professional standards continues to undermine the credibility of legitimate developers.
“Our responsibility is to provide safe and durable shelter, not death traps. Every professional who knowingly compromises standards betrays the trust of the public and endangers lives,” he stated.
He equally advised prospective property buyers and tenants to insist on approved building plans, structural integrity certifications and evidence of developers’ professional credentials before committing to any transaction.
Kolawole noted that REDAN had consistently advocated stronger regulatory enforcement, mandatory certification of developers and comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s building approval process, stressing that recent events demonstrated the urgent need to translate policy discussions into concrete action.
“The era of endless advocacy without implementation must end. Every institution connected with building regulation must discharge its responsibilities with integrity and courage. Nigerians deserve homes that are safe, not structures waiting to become disaster sites.”
He expressed condolences to families of the victims, wished the injured speedy recovery and called for intensified rescue operations for those still trapped beneath the collapsed buildings.
Kolawole added that the latest tragedies should serve as a wake-up call to governments at all levels, regulators, lawmakers and industry stakeholders to implement far-reaching reforms aimed at safeguarding lives and restoring discipline within Nigeria’s construction and real estate sectors.
