By Okoli Sunday :
The Personal Assistant to the Commissioner for Works, Mr Munachi Samuel Obi has stated that efforts should be made to strengthen the foundation of every Civil Engineering student to stem the tides of building collapse.
Mr Obi stated this at the Induction Ceremony of first year students of Civil Engineering Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Delivering a lecture with the theme “The Menace of Building Collapse in Nigeria; The Role of Civil Engineers” Obi said that building collapse is a general problem in Nigeria.
He enumerated some causes of building collapse to include corruption. According him, government has an approval unit, but it’s a pity that most of the agencies in charge of approving drawings are ladden with corruption, and in most cases, you may hardly see a Civil Engineer in such approval unit. He said that was the case in Anambra State before the coming of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

The PA also attributed excessive loading, use of substandard materials, faulty design, poor workmanship, and weak foundation, as factors contributing significantly to building collapses.
Obi went on to state the menace of building collapse to include the following; lost of life and properties, economic impact, psychological trauma, environmental impacts, lost of reputation and trust.
He therefore charged the students to take their studies seriously in order not to graduate as quacks and thereby becoming an embarrassment to the profession and also make God the bane of their educational foundation.
Earlier in his address, the President of Nigeria Institute of Civil Engineering Students, Unizik Awka Chapter, Comr. Okafor Emmanuel Okechukwu welcomed the new students and the visitors to the occasion. According to him, “We have many events and activities outlined already, both for the benefit of the association and the students as well”
On his part, the HOD, Department of Civil Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Prof. Akaolisa Ezeagu charged the new students to take advantage of the many opportunities that the school offer for academic and professional development.
Highpoints of the occasion included oath taking administered on the new students by High Chief Alex Ifeagwasi, the Chairman of Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers, Awka Chapter, Cake Cutting and refreshment
* Okoli is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *