NIOB confers fellowship on Fashola

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), National Council has conferred honourary fellowship on the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola.
Fashola was conferred with the fellowship when the National President of the institute Kunle Awobodu ,and his team paid the minister a courtesy visit in Abuja yesterday .
Awobodu said the conferment came as a result of the exemplary leadership of the minister when he was the governor of Lagos State.
He said Fashola tackled the issue of building collapse in the state, in which he set up a technical committee to look into proper building procedures.
“ We need to appreciate a man that has done so much to the built environment, ’’.
The NIOB boss however, used the occasion to call on the government to ensure that quacks were eliminated from the building industry..
“Building collapses cast a dent and a slur on our national image, we enjoin all public-spirited individuals and organisations to join in this campaign.
“Do your part, build right, use the right professional for building construction, engage and support professional builders.’’
He said that construction of buildings is a barometer of a thriving economy, adding that what distinguishes a city from a town, and a town from a village is the number and quality of buildings.
Speaking further, he stated that, “ Any nation bereft of building codes is vulnerable to inappropriate building construction.”
He therefore called on manufacturers of building materials, artisans and professionals that the culture of doing it right must be embraced.
He enjoined the Minister not to relent in his efforts to ensure the use of Nigeria’s building code to guide building construction in Nigeria.
Responding, Fashola said the conferment was for all those who helped him to achieve all he was able to achieve in Lagos State and even those who were presently working with him.
He said those who build “are those who contribute to prosperity, and it is also important to create knowledge and value.’’
According to him, building with knowledge and value will not give room to comprise and the results are predictable and painful.
Fashola enjoined the professionals to ensure that people who came out from the institute were found worthy in knowledge and in value before they could be called members.

“As far as the national building code is concerned, I am sure that the major thing we are looking forward to now is looking at how to optimise gas and demystify gas usage in homes.’’

He assured the institute of his support and cooperation.