Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Hakeem Dickson (left); President, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mr. Kunle Awobodu and Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Lagos State, Wasiu Anifowoshe, at the BCPG Annual General Meeting in Lagos

Pressed by the need to overcome the menace of building collapse and restore the glory of the built environment profession, the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) has called for strict enforcement of standards in the construction sector.

President of the association, Kunle Awobodu who gave the charge during his valedictory speech at the 2017 Annual General Meeting of the organisation in Lagos, said “in an organized society where citizens naturally obey the laws that govern their conduct, building collapse is seen as an aberration but in a society where the simplest evidence of a disregard to law despite provision for specifications, there is a need for concern.”

He observed that some builders rarely obey the law that provides minimal airspace between the building and the fence. “What is observed in many places is at conflict with the specification thus gives an inkling and a deduction that the person, who supreintended over the construction of such buildings must have disobeyed many other specifications in the building construction process.

He said, “A person that cheats on the recommended setbacks is aware that he or she has created problems of insufficient ventilation, lighting, parking space, privacy and protection from fire incident in the adjoining or neighbouring building”.

According to him, one of the unique achievements of BCPG is that it has succeeded in dousing the unhealthy rivalries, bickering and discrimination among the Nigerian built environment professionals and created a platform where various construction professionals have learnt to work through the BCPG cell/grass root model.

Awobodu emphasized that BCPG’s collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Lagos State Safety Commission and other bodies should be strengthened as the main objective of the Guild is not for immediate pecuniary gains but for the promotion of standard construction in Nigeria to save lives.

In his keynote address, the Commissioner, Ministry Of Physical Planning And Urban Development-, Lagos State, Anifowoshe, Wasiu Abiola assured the association that government is ready to provide necessary assistance in tandem with the constructive engagement and high point of planning inclusion as enshrined in good Urban Governance of the State.

“The state places high premium on the collaboration of regulatory authorities with other Stakeholders. To this end, it welcomes suggestions, brilliant ideas, technical and professional advice toward curbing the incidence of collapse in Lagos State”, he stated.

The Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Hakeem Dickson, said some professionals are obviously cutting corners with the use of substandard products. “This is highly unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud”, he said.

For the Chairman, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Lagos State Chapter, Wasiu Akewusola, government stands to benefit more in tapping on the abundant experts in all professional areas from the areas of policy formulation, development of strategies to implementation of policies and programmes of the government.

AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, the celebration represents “an auspicious moment to showcase leading success stories and achievements conceptualized and facilitated by AMCOW within the ambit of its mandate as the continent’s apex water institution.”

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has announced the convocation of its 15th anniversary celebration.

The celebration, which is scheduled to hold on the November 27-28 in Abuja, will also feature an Executive Council Meeting of African Water Ministers, and Strategic Dialogue with Development Partners.

Organised by AMCOW in collaboration with the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission alongside regional and international partners, the anniversary celebration will be hosted by the Federal Government, represented by the Nigerian Ministry of Water Resources.

In a statement signed by the AMCOW Executive Secretary, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, the celebration represents “an auspicious moment to showcase leading success stories and achievements conceptualized and facilitated by AMCOW within the ambit of its mandate as the continent’s apex water institution.”
“Over the past fifteen years of its existence, AMCOW has contributed immensely to the realization of the Africa Water Vision 2025 and the attainment of African Union’s goals of stronger cooperation, peace and security, poverty eradication and the economic development of Africans and Africa,” Dr Kanangire added.

The theme for the anniversary is “Towards Water Security and Safe Sanitation for Africa” and participants from governments, regional institutions, international partners, the private sector, the scientific community, civil society and the media from all over the world are expected to attend.

On-going development of Crimson Court, Jericho GRA, Ibadan, Oyo State

In a novel move to increase the housing stock, a property developer, Structuracasa has announced plans to complete its new affordable residential development situated in the exclusive Jericho GRA in Ibadan by December.

The project, known as Crimson Court, which has been designed for well-heeled clientele and discerning investors with sophisticated taste, comprises of three buildings each, containing four terrace homes arranged in town house style. The mini-estate is located is near the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) and Nigerian Institute of Horticultural Research (NIHORT).

Essentially, each of the 12 terrace units will be arranged on three floors with four en-suite bedrooms and outdoor terraces. Each unit will also have an attached maid’s room. The modern architectural style has light filled spaces through large expanses of glazing. Ceilings soaring up to 3.6 meters and double volume spaces.

The estate which sits on over one acre of land, shall have 24/7 security, adequate parking space, adequate drainage, constant water supply, piped gas supply, back-up power generator, serene landscape, swimming pool, and children’s play area.

The Managing Director, Structuracasa Nigeria Limited, Jade Alade, an architect, told The Guardian that two ‘Show Houses’ will be ready in October. “Buyers have option to determine their internal finishes such as floor tiles and wall paints as well as customized wall robes and kitchen cabinet, “ he said.

The company is adopting structured installments or lump sum. Early buyers during construction will enjoy price discounts. Prospective subscribers will pay 50 per cent down payment while balance is expected on delivery. Each of the unit goes between N70million and N80 million.

Alade disclosed that the company plans to continue the production of houses in Ibadan in Oyo State, Lekki Penninsula and Victoria Island in Lagos. “The original inspiration is to provide homeownership for Nigerians and companies with efficient and compact housing solutions,” he said.

On why he kicked his project in Oyo State, Alade foresee the migration of retirees to Ibadan as Lagos gets congested and government provides infrastructure like better roads and rail link to the old city.

Construction continues at the new U.S. Embassy and diplomatic quarter in London. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The new American Embassy in London is the most expensive in the world and includes safety features like a small moat.

The new structure, reported by the Times of London to cost $1 billion, would set a glittering jewel in the crown of American presence abroad, even as soaring deficits and unemployment continue to threaten the economy at home.

American diplomats will be trading their prime real estate near London’s luxurious Mayfair for a spot along the Thames in the industrial neighborhood Battersea. The move has been motivated by security concerns and overall decay at the current site, said U.S. Ambassador Louis Susman.

“We will replace our current embassy, which has become over-crowded, does not meet modern office needs and required security standards, and after 50 years is showing signs of wear and tear,” he said in prepared statements.

The current U.S. Embassy was designed in the 1950s by the American architect Eero Saarinen, who eschewed his usual soaring modernism to create the blocky and much-derided structure that opened in 1960.

The new embassy, designed by the Philadelphia-based firm KieranTimberlake, features far more amenities in its 500,000 square feet, including lofted halls and beaming “light art,” a bit of aesthetic diplomacy the State Department hopes will be more popular than the old embassy’s ominous bald eagle sculpture that has glared down at passing Londoners for 50 years.

And it is Britons who may be benefiting most from the new construction, said Williams, who did not expect to see many jobs created for struggling American workers in the massive project.

The State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building did not respond to e-mail and phone requests for comment.

The new crystal fortress would be the most expensive embassy ever built, easily topping America’s sprawling compound in Iraq, which cost taxpayers some $700 million and was completed over-budget and years behind schedule. A new embassy in Pakistan is projected to cost $850 million.

This compound, in much less danger than its counterparts in Baghdad and Islamabad, was proposed by James Timberlake, an architect as a metaphorical outreach to Britain, a “beacon that is a respectful icon representing the strength of the U.S.-U.K. relationship.”

The building’s designers imagine it as a timeless but ultra-modern update, an energy-efficient, carbon-neutral, self-sufficient work of art that will contain an urban park replete with ponds and pleasant sculptures.

Groundbreaking for the new embassy is planned for 2013 with an expected completion date in 2017. But Williams, who has followed similar government construction projects, considers that a rose-tinted estimate at best.

Nigerians who are desirous of a system that enables them to intelligently and functionally control every electrical and electronic device in their homes using intuitive programmable panels, mobile app or universal remote control as well as integration of all their technology services to make them prepared for trending smart city projects like the one being planned in Lagos now have MBX Smart Homes providing these services at the same price with what obtains overseas.

The company distributes end-to-end smart home solutions that include the design of the system, supply of the equipment, installations, commissioning, pre and post-sales support and also train smart home installers. These services allow customers to automatically preset their home, cars and other space to their preferred condition, and even allows them to continue listening to multiroom Audio with seamless mobility.

According to the mBx chief executive, Mr Chidi Okpanku, “Assuming you are approaching your house from the airport and there is nobody at home and you don’t want to be welcomed by a dark and lonely house, you can actually send SMS or open a mobile app to turn on your home and you are welcomed into a home that is already working. The AC is good, the lights are on, the music is playing, in fact, the home becomes set for you even before your arrival. Visiting the web address www.smarthomesbus.com.ng & www.mbx.com.ng will give you a clearer picture.”

He also highlighted how the smart house conserves public energy thus: “Aside from the luxury end which gives you the comfort and flexibility to control from the palm of your hands, you can actually enjoy a lot of energy savings. We have a smart sensor that can be installed in places like the ATM gallery. If you go to all the ATM galleries in Abuja now that is daytime, all their lights are on. If you also go to the ATM gallery, the ACs are on in the night but they don’t need it because the temperature is probably 18 degrees the same temperature you can achieve with the AC.

“So what if you have a sensor that monitors the atmospheric temperature, monitors the number of people at the gallery, monitors to know if it is day or night and presets the ATM space as required. So if it's dark, it turns on the light if its day it turns off the light; if it’s hot it turns on the AC, if it’s cold it turns off the AC. These would save a lot of energy so calculate all the ATM galleries in Abuja, calculate all the security lights that would be left on for up to two hours in the morning when it’s already daylight, calculate all the toilet lights that are left on during the day.

“Imagine major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt having a huge number of lights on when they are supposed to be off, air conditions on when they are supposed to be off. Imagine if you block all these wastages and channel the energy conserved to those that need it we can actually have more sustainable cities.”

Okpanku, while disclosing that his company is currently open to training those interested in sales, design, installation, programming of the smart home system, stated that the smart home business is a $20 billion projection business for 2017, and is speculated to get to $50billion by 2025. He stated that prerequisite for the training is just knowledge of computers, and how to use a screwdriver, adding that after two days of intensive training, trainees become dealers equipped to be able to install and maintain a system and get huge discounts and bonuses that enable them to sell smart home systems in Nigeria for the same price it is sold in US, Australia, Canada, China, Dubai. He added that the system is so simple that one can set up a home in a few hours; and that a 5-bedroom duplex can be fully installed in a day.

The training centre which would be held at Suite 303, Capital Hub Mall,  Plot 272 Ahmadu Bello Way,, Jahi-Abuja will also expose trainees to complete end-to-end solution for hotels, through which guests can be made to control their lights, create mood lighting, order for services, preset the temperature of the room to suit them with all these tied up to the entertainment system. They will also be trained on how to set up smart hospitals, “which comes with devices worn like wristwatches by nurses so that if there is an emergency all a patient needs to do is touch a button and an attendant comes calling. It comes with pressure sensors installed in the bed so that an alert can be sent to caregivers when a patient is in crisis”.

While disclosing that the world is transiting from analogue to smart building which would evolve to the futuristic internet of things where every device will be connected to the internet, the MBX boss said, “Smart home is the precursor to the thing that is going to happen so we need to make our spaces, homes or buildings smart. From there we can then move to smart streets, smart communities and smart cities. That is the future.

“You must have heard about the Dubai Smart City as well as the Lagos Smart City that is coming up. So the smart city starts from smart buildings. The government should make it mandatory that every modern buildings built in the city must be smart. This enables full monitoring of the building as well as energy consumption of the house, thereby saving energy. So legislations should be put in place to ensure that every new building being erected should be made smart. In that way also, it also helps in wealth redistribution and provides a lot of job opportunities”.

Speaking on the affordability of setting up a smart home, he stated that one can actually start with a little as N100,000; starting with the basic lighting and keep improving from room to room, space to space, service to service until the entire building is covered. He was categorical that whoever can build a house, can own a smart home, adding that making a building smart increases its value by 300 per cent.

The expert also clarified that smart home system are manufactured to be long-lasting and are acclimatized to Nigeria’s weather, adding that “because the smart home is basically a contactless system since you can actually use remote or mobile append soft-touch systems to control; it reduces the wear and tear caused by mechanical failure. Beyond this, our products come with twelve months warranty and we give extended warranty to those we install their systems”.

In addition to home automation, mBx also design and install private cinemas using award winning JBL Synthesis speakers.

Road construction

To avoid delivering substandard roads, civil engineers have been advised to adhere to the new trends and ethics of their profession.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, who stated this at a retreat organised for civil engineers in the State’s Ministry of Works in Warri, said the performance of the engineers are key to the success of the Okowa administration.

Ukah called on the engineers to be proud of the achievements of the Okowa administration, saying they do not need to belong to a particular political party to do the right thing.

For his part, the state Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, emphasized that the era of compromise on road construction is over,
pointing out that the success of the Okowa administration  depends on the performance of the engineers.

Chief Augoye said, as from October superintending engineers will be held accountable to shoddy jobs, adding that it is shameful that roads just constructed failed months after being commissioned.

He assured the engineers of the Governor’s support as well as his protection when under pressure from a contractor to compromise standard.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Delta State House Assembly Committee on Works, Evans Iwhurie has pledged to work with the Works ministry to expose mischief makers who specialised in photoshop pictures of bad roads from other states and place them on social media as roads constructed by the Okowa administration.

Iwhurie said the Okowa administration has invested heavily to provide basic infrastructure such as roads and would not tolerate any propagandist actions to tarnish his image.

The house committee on works chairman noted that the committee would not rest on it oars in carrying out its oversight functions on the works ministry to ensure that Deltans get qualitative roads.

While commending the ministry for actively supporting the state government in rehabilitating failed Federal Government roads, Iwhurie sued for continued cooperation of the staff of the ministry.

He pledged that the committee would support the works ministry to overcome challenges facing it and directed that all contractors must be on site during inspection exercises.

Earlier, while welcoming the House committee chairman and members, the commissioner for Works Chief James Augoye assured that the ministry is ready to cooperate with them to achieve the aim of setting up the committee.

Chief Augoye said the state government has done a lot at improving service delivery of the ministry as witnessed in the just concluded two day retreat held in warri for civil engineers and that of Deltans as seen in the even distribution of projects in the twenty five local government areas of the state.

The Acting permanent secretary of ministry of works, Fred Edafioghor, an engineer has expressed confidence on the house committee members saying the relationship between them and the ministry would forge a new map towards giving Deltans the best.

Senator Barnabas

With the greater percentage of the population still lacking access to decent homes, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Senator Barnabas Gemade has called for urgent legislative action for restructuring of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to bridge the housing deficit in the country.

He regretted that after former President Shehu Shagari’s regime no successive government had embarked on policies of mass housing until the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Senator Gemade spoke at a housing conference on the theme “Addressing Housing Stock Deficit in Nigeria: A Holistic View” organised by the Housing Circuit Magazine in conjunction with the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

He noted that apart from the measures, which the federal government has put in place for mass housing, the National Assembly in support of the
programme increased the annual budget for housing from as low as N30 billion to N40 billion in 2017.

He said that was not enough since there are still much to be done in commercialising and restructuring agencies of government responsible for housing to boost their efficiency.

Gemade maintained that the FMBN should be facilitated to access the N30 billion Central Bank of Nigeria’s housing fund, while part of the pension funds should be invested in housing programme, adding that this would be made possible as the National Assembly reviews the Pension Act.

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan who represented the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, lamented that the housing deficit has grown from seven million in 2007 to 17 million in 2017.

The minister who noted that the growing deficit is unacceptably high, said that the federal government is committed to supporting programnes that would bridge the housing gap.

However, he said no country in the world has been able to meet its housing deficit, adding that the problem is worst in developing countries, including Nigeria.

Earlier, the President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and Chairman of Housing Circuit Magazine Advisory Board, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, noted that there had been paradigm shift in housing needs and delivery mechanism.

He regretted that the nation’s laws, regulations, policies and practices were very inadequate and unable to deliver the needed change the nation desperately need.

According to him, “for any housing programne to be successful, issues of acceptability, affordability, availability and sustainability of the houses and it’s processes must be jointly reviewed and resolved by both the private and public sector operators.”

Titi Ogunfere

A four-day exhibition to showcase best interior designs and products in the country has kicked off at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos.

The Luxury Homes and Hospitality Exhibition tagged “Made By Design” is organised by Essential Interiors Magazine in collaboration with The Guardian. The event is meant to showcase curated, exquisitely craft home products and design brands available in the market.

According to the organisers, the event is specially packaged for interior design enthusiasts who wish to showcase a high level of affluence and their success in the business.

Speaking at the occasion, the founder, Essential Interiors Magazine, Titi Ogunfere, said the exhibition is to promote the industry, noting that many Nigerian designers are creating amazing products that can compete with the very best in the world.

She observed that despite the infrastructural challenges in the country, people in the industry are working hard on daily basis to push the sector forward through the production of qualitative products for the market.

The Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya described the fair as a great avenue for Nigerians and the practitioners in the industry to appreciate the finest interior design products that the nation produced noting that it is a testimony to the best in the country. He urged the participants to make the most of the opportunity and promote made in Nigeria to the world.

In a remark, the Chief Executive Officer, Visionaire Luxury Living Limited, Mrs. Ayo Sanya said the event is all about showing Nigerians what the manufacturers are doing in the sector. She added that when people see the brands produced by Nigeria interior designers, they trust in their ability and would thereby patronize them.

“The industry is growing and the practitioners are more creative than ever before. We now have those who do made in Nigeria products and those who bring in imported ones”, she stated.

A flooded community in Benue...

All hands must be on deck at ensuring vibrant and impactful advocacy campaigns on matters of climate change, says AMUSA TEMITOPE VICTOR, an environmentalist. He argued that no one can evade climate change effects and its attendant threats, but the government needs to earn the trust of the populace by implementing good resettlement plans for residents in high-risk areas.

From press releases to paid public announcements, governments in flood-prone areas are actively taking the message of climate change and its threat across municipalities and suburbs most at risk of the impending dangers of flooding and other climate change threats.

As efficient as the campaigns are projected to be, and also as engaging as envisaged; even as these advocacies are often in local dialects to further ensure clarity, yet there seem not to be appreciable results as each time there is a disaster the casualty figures are still very much high.

People currently at low-risk areas quickly take the endangered population to their self-determined court and label them guilty as charged, as they are seen as negligent, stubborn or most time suicidal. Often its rather better to likewise consider the situation from the perspective of the residents of these high-risk areas like river banks and water basins before running into a charade of conclusion when climate change disasters come knocking.

Africa is indeed rising, gone are the eras of taking all disaster that come our way as an act of the supreme, the younger generation demands explanation at every occasion, there seem not to be an end to the Why’s and How’s, this indeed has challenged the older generation to seek more convincing information about the situation our world is currently in.

Climate change threats are very visible in today’s world, from developed nations to developing and under-developed ones, global warming occasioned by climate change is taking its toll across borders. African leaders, in response to the dangers posed by climate change on human very existence, are likewise sounding the alarm for proactive measures ahead of the doomsday.

A lot of governments across Africa, Nigeria, for example, have budgeted huge sums for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Renewable energy seems to be a new niche desired by all, every political representative at the legislative arm of government has on its schedule one solar power project or more. The amount budgeted for emergency relief agencies to rise to humanitarian services demand is very much assuring that indeed the government has reemphasized its preparedness to mitigate climate change, it is sad though how long it takes relief services to get to the people after disastrous experience of climate change threats, people get forcefully displaced from their homes and are made to live in camps designated as internally displaced people camps .For days displaced residents suffer inhumane situations especially in areas of water, hygiene, and sanitation.

The Makurdi submersion incident is very much a sad event, weeks after, displaced persons still struggle to get access to basic life necessities, a lot of which were considered to be catered for in the proposed budget for the year which before now has earned a lot of accolades from residents and observers as to the preparedness of the government at all levels to rise in proper disaster management.

Thank goodness for the gradual return of solidarity to human fold across the world, every region and population seem to care about what happens to individuals across demographic divides, perhaps it has come to everybody’s psyche that no one is actually immune to the devastating effects of climate change and so all humanity should rather lend a helping hand as no one knows who next shall be calling for help.

Climate opinion groups and civil liberty organizations took giant steps in deviant from the norm by calling for donations of cash, food, and medical supplies to further alleviate the sufferings of victims of the Makurdi flood disaster, the response of citizens was so appreciable and substantial as the materials collected was even conveyed free of charge to Makurdi the capital of Benue State Nigeria by a kind-hearted Nigerian who plies his trade on that route as a commercial driver.

The power of virtual connectivity and information was further made known as a lot of the donors were neither relatives of these concerned organizations nor indigenes of Benue state, yet gave supplies overwhelmingly. From trending hashtags on twitter #IStandWithMakurdi to innumerable shared posts on Facebook, citizens of Nigeria have awoken to what great advantage are embroidered in lending their respective voices to the campaign of climate adaptability and sustainability through the social media, the results are there for all to see.

In spite of this laudable humanitarian response from residents all over the country, the question of what really was the agency statutorily established to respond to such disasters as this, doing, comes to the mind of every concerned Nigerian? Timely response and proactiveness are key in matters of trauma management in situations of disaster.

Just recently more than ten communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State a typical agrarian setting was flooded by heavy torrential rainfall, regrettably very much over 2000 farmland of food crops like cassava, plantain, yam, cocoa and others were reportedly destroyed leaving the farmers and indeed the community in a state of comatose as it dashes the hope of the making anything substantial, if any, from their labour.

Not only was their source of livelihood cut off, hundreds of residents of these communities have also become internally displaced as houses and properties worth millions of naira were washed away by the ravaging flood.

During the assessment of the affected areas by the leadership of the state emergency management agency, it was acknowledged what huge blow has been dealt with the socio-economic existence of residents of the affected communities. It was further estimated that over 1,000 residents now take shelter in neighboring communities; then came the promise from the government to address the plight of the displaced people.

As it is with flash floods, streams, which serve as the only source of drinking water for residents in rural areas were also polluted as sewage was washed into them.
The response time to environmental disasters and emergencies needs to be seriously worked upon, if the populace, especially those at high-risk area will ever get to take the government serious in its advocacies. There are too many heartbreaking examples of neglect and sanitation crises in internally displaced people camps spread across the country.

Just recently, there was a breakout of Cholera in IDP camps in Borno state owing to the poor state of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene models in use. With the huge amount budgeted indirectly for climate finance and emergency relief services, a lot can be achieved, if judiciously used.

The government must as a matter of respect for humanity build camps with adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to cater for a controlled number of people across the states, the use of secondary schools and open fields as IDP camps is entirely unacceptable.

If the millions of naira spent on radio and print advocacies by the government will achieve the expected result, the government needs to earn the trust of the populace, the only way to which is to implement good resettlement plans for residents in high-risk areas and also ensure a swift response to the plight of the people. Waiting for weeks or even months without aid and relief services is far traumatizing than losing ones’ source of livelihood.

Also, recently in Kwara state, over 450 hectares of rice farmlands already scheduled for ceremonial harvest were also submerged by floods, the implications of which transcends beyond just the loss of the farmlands, it is also the loss of the investment of governments in inputs and supports. It is likewise the loss of the food production index projected for the year which has a big impact on the GDP of the country. After all no one is immune to the devastating effects of climate change and its heartbreaking threats, the residents of areas less prone to floods now have to battle a shortfall in food supply.

The food and agriculture organization of the United Nations during the climate change conference of 2016 projected that food demand across the globe will increase by 60per cent by 2050, It is therefore interesting to say that, secure food supply starts with robust climate action in mitigating and adapting climate change.

Imperatively, all hands must be on deck at ensuring vibrant and impactful advocacy campaigns on matters of climate change, and guarantee resourceful adaptability measures yield the expected results, the people need to trust its government and likewise, the government ought to be trustworthy, after all, no one can evade climate change effects and its attendant threats.

• Amusa is also a social entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer, Vicfold Recyclers

Soil tests. PHOTO: SUTTLESTOCK

In a renewed effort to curb incessant collapses of buildings, the Nigerian Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (NAEGE), has called on government at all levels and organizations to establish a functional engineering geological units for pre-construction investigations of projects.

The association particularly lamented on too many reported cases of building collapses and the occurrence of environmental hazards in many parts of Nigeria, which it says are preventable man-made disaster .

In a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day yearly International Conference with the theme; “Sustainability of Buildings and the Environment” held in Ikeja, Lagos, NAEGE said engineering geological investigations should always precede any major construction projects like; roads, buildings, excavation activities amongst others, to safe lives and prevent the colossal loss of financial and material resources.

“All geotechnical/soil investigation reports must be endorsed by a practicing geologist/engineering geologist registered with Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geologists. All construction and material-sourcing companies that practice engineering geological-related services should employ geo-scientists into their establishments”.

The conference also emphasized that all hands must be on deck towards ensuring that the law establishing the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) is enforced with relevant guidelines and enforceable sanctions.

In the document endorsed by its President, Prof. Gabriel Adeyemi, the association warned that the challenges of building collapse, erosion and waste disposal sites evaluation in Nigeria must not be treated with kid’s gloves. The forum, therefore recommended the application of geological engineering knowledge in preventing failures of buildings, and prevention of natural and environmental hazards.

“Members of NAEGE are experts in comprehensive sub-soil investigation for structures, buildings, dams and tunnels, and evaluation of naturally occurring construction materials. Their expertise is also important in drilling for water and hydrocarbons, cum mining solid minerals. We are also specialists in active and proposed waste disposal sites, environmental impact assessment and prevention of natural hazards. The society, is thus, relevant in ministries of works, Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Water and Petroleum Resources”

“NAEGE has been registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are therefore recognized by law to practice effectively”, he stated.

housing estate in Lagos

Amid pockets of social instability in different parts of the country, land prices have continued to rise in most regions while prices of office spaces and houses were affected negatively in the real estate market within the first half of this year.

According to a report released by Northcourt real estate for the half year performance of the real estate management , the high cost  developing property in a country  where over 50 per cent of construction materials in the face of weakened currency.

Unlike the previous seasons of gradual growth, land values appreciated sharper than before. So much so that land prices Lagos along the Ikate , Agungi- Abraham Adesanya- Sangotedo axis, is widely regarded as overpriced; pushed up by speculators with an eye on the Lekki free Trade zone, The Dangote refinery project  amongst other anchor projects as they near completion.

The centrality of land to the development of real estate remained immovable and unchallenged for the first half of the year. The Lagos State government, eager to increase its revenue, promised a 15 percent discount on all land use charges paid before April 14. Based on the controversial Land Use Act, the State Government sought to encourage payment of the charges as a means of funding its proposed developments. Land grabbing was taken to a whole new level as 1,200 cases were recorded in the nine months ending march 2017 further  underscoring the place of land as an investment asset.

According to the report, the zealous implementation of the Whistleblowing Act had far reaching consequences on the real estate sector without any positive. An effect of this is an increased level of caution on spending by moneybags. Again, willing partners to such transactions are harder to find. Real estate market players are now picky in the kind of clients they do business with and potential tenants now insist on knowing the Landlords of space being considered for lease. Whistleblowing also reduced both the frequency and value of investments.

Furthermore,  investors  were largely worried that despite the much-vaunted  Economic Recovery and growth Plan (ERGP) the Government was still playing too much a role in the economy.

The Chief Executive Officer, NorthCourt Real Estate, Tayo Odunsi said,” the  inability of government to access the national budget assessed earlier than second  quarter of 2017 impaired on capital expenditure and others initiatives meant to truly stimulate the country out of recession resulting to  built property prices either stayed constant or declines in lost locations and only rising in select area where quality and location induced growth.”

Despite this challenges, the government equally demonstrated some commitment towards financing  house delivery a World Bank loan of $300 million for that purpose.

In all, the winds of private capital seem to be blowing in the country’s favour as shown by an over-subscribed diaspora bond and signals from the national and some state governments suggest a willingness to do what is necessary to support this.

In  the  office  rental, after  contending with a fall in demand for almost two years, grade A office space continued to see increased supply, albeit at a slower rate. The forces of demand and supply would subsequently force not only rents to go down, but several other terms and payment structures for office space had to be relaxed and rigged in the face of a slowly recovering economy.

Landlords in prime locations were willing to accept quarterly payments, giving moratoria of up to 6 months for very large spaces or to attract certain tenants. Some were also willing to accept rents  in arrears and offered to pay the transaction fees on behalf of the tenant in a bid to reduce the barriers to entry.

Occupiers in Grade B buildings seized the opportunity of reduced rents/rent conditions to move into A-grade buildings. This trend ,  the analyst said is expected to continue, as market conditions are not recovering fast enough to encourage otherwise.

The deadline in prime office space rent  may not end soon as approximately 30,000sqm of grade-A space is expected to join the jostle for occupiers before the close of 2017 in the form Alliance Palace, second quarter, 2017, Median Towers  third quarter and Kingsway Tower ( fourth quarter) amongst  others.

But structured office  blocks only tell the  story. Many organisations, blue chips inclusive, have opted for self-managed conversions ( Residential detached housed converted to office buildings) as a cheaper or at least more manageable option to house their enterprise. Along the same lines, co-working spaces have become a major phenomenon pushing down the upfront cost small and medium sized companies need to spend on space. The co-working hub sub-market has grown so big increasing by 21% (from 34 to 41) within the last six months in Lagos alone. The first co-working conference in Nigeria is billed to take place in Q3 2017.

Lagos State branch chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Olurogba Orimalade (left); 1st National Vice President, Rowland Abonta; National President, Dr. Bolarinde Patunola-Ajayi and 2nd National Vice President, Emma Wike during Mandatory Continuous Professional Development Programme (MCPD)organised by Lagos State branch, recently. PHOTO: SUNDAY ABORISADE

The Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has promised to put in place effective regulatory framework to ensure professionalism and effective service delivery.

Speaking at the Third Research Conference (RECON), themed ‘Confluence of Research, Theory and Practice in the Built environment’ held in Bauchi, the National President, Mercy Iyortyer, said that the conference is aimed at undertaking research into project development cycle and making such information available to its members.

She said that the research conference, which began in 2013, is also aimed at stimulating debates and discussions between researchers and practitioners as well as a basis for new areas of research in Quantity Survey and the construction industry.

“This conference will provide an avenue for the academia to interact with the practitioners. It will enhance capacity development for both groups. It will also provide sufficient opportunities for our members especially those in the academia to present papers. Together we can seek for ways to adopt the findings of research as means of growing the profession and promoting our influence, “she said.

Abba Bello Ingawa noted while delivering a paper titled ‘Exploring Current and Future Roles of Quantity Surveyors In Nigerian Construction: Significance Of Education, Training And Research, that there is need for constant innovation and Research by quantity surveyors for them to be relevant, the traditional quantity surveyor lags behind the current and future anticipated needs of practicing Quantity Surveyors  ‎for them to be at the frontier of the knowledge required to improve business opportunities and services offered to clients of the built environment.

He however informed that a modern Quantity Surveyor provides an alternative through provision of better Cost and value management and project management and other services.

In reality, the Quantity Surveyor uses his technical function to create tools such as cost plans, bills of quantities, cost control models, life cycle costing etc, “he said

Executive Director, UN-Habitat, Dr. Joan Clos

Faced with the grim reality of a world in which up to one-sixth, of humanity- or some one billion people - exist without adequate shelter and basic services, governments around the globe are today pausing to marshall forces against the growing plague called homelessness.

Nigerians live in an age where the world’s population will have grown to over seven billion and where more than half of them live in towns and cities. Projections indicate that this will increase to two-thirds in just over a generation from now. Experts predict that by the year 2050, global population will have increase by 50 per cent.

Every year the United Nations celebrates World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October, marking the official start of Urban October: a month of celebrations and citizens’ engagement in the urban life worldwide. The theme dwells on ‘Housing Policies: Affordable Homes.’

The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

For 2017, the World Habitat Day focuses on promoting all levels of government and all relevant stakeholders to reflect on how to implement concrete initiatives to ensure adequate and affordable housing in the context of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels, as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Essentially, this year’s celebrations are quite special as they coincide with the first anniversary of the New Urban Agenda adopted in Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador. The New Urban Agenda enshrines a new vision of urbanization as an indispensable engine for development and a prerequisite for prosperity and growth, according to Dr. Joan Clos, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.

The United Nations wants governments to urgently address the crucial aspect of housing affordability. An analysis of housing affordability over the last 20 years reveals that despite increasing demand, housing –and rental housing- has been largely unaffordable for the majority of the world population.
Handing over housing to the market has proved a failure in providing affordable and adequate housing for all. Today, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, of which 1 billion live in slums and informal settlements. And while millions of people lack suitable homes, the stock of vacant houses is gradually increasing.

Clos said: “As we strive to create cities for all, an urgent action for achieving affordable homes requires a global commitment to effective and inclusive housing policies. Ensuring housing affordability is therefore a complex issue of strategic importance for development, social peace and equality.

“Addressing the housing needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, especially women, youth and those who live in slums must be a priority in the development agendas. Promoting sound housing policies is also crucial for climate change, resilience, mobility and energy consumption.”

He stated that for housing to contribute to national socio-economic development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda calls for placing housing policies at the centre of national urban policies along with strategies to fight poverty, improve health and employment.

A past president, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr. Emeka Eleh urged the government to provide enabling environment for the sector.

Eleh believes that the private sector should be left with construction and delivery of houses while the government makes the regulations.
Another estate surveyor, Mr. Pastor Stephen Jagun said that “ there is need for the government to be focused on people oriented programmes and focus on providing basic infrastructure.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom

In a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Makurdi and signed by deputy governors of the two states, Benson Abounu for Benue and Haruna Manu for Taraba, they promised to sustain the peace process initiated by the two states.

They also called for the strengthening of established peace advocacy and sensitization committee and expressed commitment to complete the demarcation exercise within the life span of the current administration.

The two states further urged their governors to make adequate budgetary provision in their 2018 appropriation to support the exercise.The two states therefore, constituted and inaugurated Joint Field Technical committee consisting of 14 members from each state to among other things determine what areas constitute Moon and Chanchanji districts.

Other agreements reached at the meeting include the fast-tracking of the delimitation process, demarcation and survey of Benue/Taraba interstate boundary through the invitation of the National Boundary Commission.

In order to reaffirm their position as one of the leading real estate providers in Nigeria,  Luxury Villas Group (LVG) is set to launch ‘Fusion of Real Estate, Interior Design and Art (FREIA)’, an event that aims at bringing together stakeholders in these three industries to showcase, network and explore opportunities for business synergy.
 
Featuring prominent keynote speakers, the exhibition will highlight the underlying relationship between the industries and provide a platform for future partnerships. FREIA is scheduled to take place in December at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos.
   
As the Nigerian economy gradually emerges from the conundrum of a recession, the property market has continued to thrive and explore meaningful ways to extend the active participation of related industries in its growth and progress. The result is the steady increase in real estate investments that pave the way for more business opportunities and benefits to the consumers.

LVG has over the years, gained awards and recognition for their outstanding work within the shores of Nigeria and beyond. In 2017, the brand bagged two international awards; the Business Initiative Directions Quality Summit Award in New York (a formidable platform that unites outstanding entrepreneurs and businesses across the globe) and Best Real Estate Agency in Nigeria at the Africa Property Awards in Dubai which focuses on pacesetters in real estate in emerging economies and beyond.

“We are thrilled to have won such prestigious awards and are determined to keep making giant strides to raise the bar in real estate services,” according to LVG’s CEO, Mr. Tommy J.Z Odama.

The move to increase housing stock in Lagos area has been boasted by the completion of 234 units in a private residential scheme, The Enclave, located within the confines of an ambitious 308-hectare project.

The estate is part of the Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate, being promoted by Mixta Africa, a subsidiary of Asset and Resource Management Company Limited (ARM). The Estate is located at Lakowe Village, in the Ibeju-Lekki area in Lagos, approximately 35 kilometers from Victoria Island. Lakowe Lakes is accessed via a serviced road off the Expressway.

Essentially, the promoters of the estate have began hospitality project known as The Lodge and Spa Resort, which promises on completion 63 upscale suites - timber villas - comprising studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units.

It will also include a full service Spa and Wellness facility, offering a wide variety of rejuvenating and therapeutic treatments. Recreation will also be a primary offering of the facility leveraging on the natural setting of the resort and the larger estate.

It will include water activities as well as others such as hiking trails and bike rides. A specialty restaurant is intended to compliment the other elements of the resort and will offer fine dining using organic produce, again promoting wellness within the resort.

According to Mrs. Sade Hughes, Managing Director, Mixta Hospitality and Retail, “the Corporate Lodge will include 20 luxury rooms as well as meeting and conferencing facilities for up to 150 people in various configurations - including a fully equipped board room, breakout meeting rooms, and the strategy hall for larger gatherings.

“The Lodge and Spa Resort offers a perfect setting for corporate bodies looking for residential conference and retreat venues; leisure groups looking for weekend or holiday getaways; Spa and wellness enthusiasts looking for one of a kind upscale experiences previously only available outside the country: Social parties and other celebratory events requiring a unique destination venue.”

On the estate, Head of Sales, Mixta Nigeria, Korede Lawrence-Salu explained that The Enclave is a premium residential community within the Estate featuring a range of houses themed around some of the spectacular and renowned natural landforms in Nigeria. The Enclave comprises of 206 homes, delivered with infrastructural amenities including roads, water, and sewage treatment plants.

“The Enclave provides a unique take on the Lakowe Lakes experience. Residential units are offered in a range of styles to meet the diverse requirements of our clients, including palatial retreats for executives and holiday makers, cozy homes for couples and corporate clients, and larger units for families,” he said.

He said serviced residential plots are also available and delivered with full infrastructural amenities. Clients will be given the option to choose from 10 different house designs, with construction completed only by approved contractors.

Borno State governor Kashim Shettima

Executive Chairman of the maintenance agency, Ahmed Satomi who made this known in Maiduguri, while flagging of “Operation Zero Potholes” to improve roads and drainage facilities in the metropolis, said the generation of more revenues from tollgates and leasing of trucks, could sustain the maintenance of roads and highways in the state.

In his maiden press conference, Satomi said Borno is currently suffering from infrastructural deficit especially in terms of roads. “Having taken reconnaissance surveys of roads in Maiduguri, the state capital, the roads maintenance agency will embark on “Operation Zero Potholes” in the first 30 days in office so as to improve on the standards of township and community roads.

“The quality and number of equipment in the possession of BORMA made a former Minister of Works during Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to urge Borno State Government to register with his ministry to bid for contracts because it has all it takes to do so,” he said.

The Chairman further disclosed that a zonal office will be established in Biu Local Government Area soon to oversee roads construction in Southern Borno, which will begin with Biu Township Roads construction and speedy completion of Miringa- Gunda road.

Real Estate

Real Estate Unite hosted by 3INVEST is the annual flagship event that provides an important platform for the residential, office, retail, healthcare, hospitality and industrial sectors of Africa’s property market to network, learn, transact, showcase and discuss opportunities and issues in global real estate yearly. The theme of this year’s edition is “Africa’s Real Estate: What’s New?”

“The game has changed. Been faced with this new reality, how do we create new sources of growth? Are we rethinking business strategies? What’s are the new roles and responsibilities? What entirely is New? Solutions will form the basis of this year’s conversations,” according to Ruth Obih-Obuah, Founder, Real Estate Unite.

To throw more light on the economy, Dr. Doyin Salami, foremost economist, professor at Lagos Business School will give an insightful examination of key trends in the Sub-Saharan and global economy with a specific view towards the future direction over the short and medium terms, including the outlook for GDP growth, interest rates and currency performance.

Other speakers include; Yemi Idowu - Aircom; Valentine Ozigbo – CEO, Transcorp Hotels; Adeniyi Adeleye - Stanbic IBTC Bank; Obi Nwogugu, Africa Capital Alliance, Ronald Chagoury Jr. Vice President, South Energyx, Hakeem Oguniran – UPDC (Nigeria); Ernest Hanson – Beaufort Properties (Ghana) and Tom Mundy – JLL (South Africa) as well as Mustapha Njie – TAF Africa Global (Gambia); Andre Geday, Elalan: Micheal Chudi Ejekam, Bolaji Edu, Broll, Chinwe Ajene-Sagna: JLL and Funke Okubadejo, ACTIS.

In the event, REU Summit in partnership with W-Hospitality and HTI will launch a dedicated Hotel, tourism and leisure (HTL) meeting place for the hospitality community. The key focus areas for this year’s conversations will include; Annual market and economic update; Global issues and effects on local markets; Emerging disruptors in African Real Estate; Housing Market; Ground breaking technologies built for Africa; SSA future cities and Infrastructure; Healthcare as the most important priority for improving SSA; Capital market trends; Overview of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure (HTL) sector in Africa; Retail Revolution; and Office market.

Other features of the summit will include the launch of the Real Estate Unite Network (RUN), a platform designed to foster interaction between active local real estate investors, developers, lenders and policymakers with a view to identifying the right partners for your business and building high-value relationships.

“ 2017 Real Estate Unite Conference has been designed to offer the greatest possible value and flexibility to operators, owners, users and players in all sectors of real estate including the residential, office, retail, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, leisure and industrial sectors,” Obih-Obuah said. 

Keeping with its tradition, Real Estate Unite 2017 will also feature exhibitions of latest offerings from Real estate product/service providers to an involved audience (B2B) that includes developers, suppliers, service providers etc. and attracts a wider B2C audience that includes investors and homebuyers and occupiers. 

Minister of Works, Power and Housing Babatunde Fashola

The Chief Executive Officer, RevolutionPlus Property Development Company, Bamidele Onalaja made the appeal in Lagos during the official commissioning of the estate company’s corporate head office in Ikeja, Lagos.

The RevolutionPlus House, located on Olufunmilayo Okikiolu, off Toyin Street in Ikeja Lagos is a magnificent one-storey building bought over by the company and reconstructed into a befitting office complex and fully branded in the RevolutionPlus corporate colours.  

According to Onalaja, the issue of housing deficit in Nigeria dated back to as far as 1957 when the first white paper on housing deficit in Nigeria was released. He maintained that that despite successive administration’s policy to provide solutions to the problem, it keeps growing and has reached a staggering 19 million in figure.

“As Nigeria’s population keeps growing, especially urban settlements in terms of births and rural to urban migration, the demand for houses keep growing as well but without a commensurate response from the government at various levels. He therefore called on Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, who is the minister in charge of housing to champion the reform of the land use act, create enabling environment for Nigerians families to acquire houses of their own by liberalising the processes obtaining mortgage facilities at government owned mortgage institutions.

He explained that between 1985 to 1993, the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida initiated a policy called  “housing for all by the year 2020”, which didn’t yield much as the houses, and if available at all, were unaffordable.

In his remarks, the Surveyor General of Lagos State, Mr. Olutomi Sangowanwa commended the company and other private investors in the housing sector for their intervention in the sector, adding that government alone, at any level, cannot meet the housing requirement of its citizen.

“ The government cannot take the land, acquire the land, compensate the people and build the houses and that that is why the banking sector too have keyed into the private sector driven revolution in the housing sector by providing mortgage facilities,” he said.

Margaret Oguntala

According to her, it is no longer enough to be an engineer who designs and constructs; they must be interdisciplinary, system specialists who will bring together, coordinate and manage the entire system to solve complex societal problems and promote sustainable development.
  
She explained that professional associations must provide leadership and enforce relevant codes and standards that make economic advancement high priority in engineering and business both in practice and in the education of younger engineers.
  
Oguntala, who is also a fellow of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers pointed out that sustainable development requires positive and sustained action by individuals, communities, government and institutions.
  
NSE President, Otis Anyaeji urged members to deliver projects based on the principles of performance, reliability, durability, aesthetics and perceived quality.

Represented by the President of Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMECH), Ugochukwu Nzurumike, he pointed that project management process requires good planning, monitoring and controlling stressing that without the processes, quality service could not be effectively delivered by Nigerian engineers in the 21st century.
 
Presenting the six newly inductees cooperate members to the gathering, the Apapa Branch Chairman of NSE, Dr. Ombugadu Garba warned them not to deviate from the guiding codes of ethics of the profession which centre on total commitment to professionalism, the good of the society and growth/development of infrastructures.
 
Dr. Garba disclosed that the public lecture was organized to rub minds between the old and young engineers as well as promote the fortune of the profession. He stated that such gathering creates an avenue to be re-educated members on the right path to development, averting building collapses and other project failures. For him, it is also in the fulfillment of engineers’ Co-orperate Social Responsibility (CRS), to the society.