Nigeria Bricklaying Association Emphasizes Need For Practical Knowledge

Members of the Nigeria Bricklaying Association (NBA), an umbrella body of artisans in the bricklaying profession have identified some factors causing incessant building collapse in the country.

Speaking at the annual National conference of the association in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, the artisans listed quackery, global economic impact, timidity of some bricklayers as well as greed among owners of building structures as some of the reasons for building collapse.

The annual national conference with the theme, “Let’s Eradicate Building Collapse in Nigeria”, had delegates from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Kwara states in attendance.

The state Chairmen of the Nigeria bricklaying association from Kwara, Lagos and Ogun states, Abdulraheem Ayenigba, Oyebamiji Dauda, Adeniyi Daniel, respectively, in separate interviews, emphasized the need for practical knowledge and acumen among other experts in the building profession.

The bricklayers as a group of artisans that bring out drawings of other building professionals into physical structures, said that building collapse was not rampant in structures made by the artisans in the olden days as against what is the case nowadays.

They also maintained that there are many quacks among bricklayers, building engineers while many lack integrity, referring to such as the bad eggs.

That’s one of the reasons the association exists with plan to make it spread across the country to train some people who would leave after about six months of working as labourers. These people then go about getting building contracts without adequate expertise. In this situation, building collapse is unavoidable.

The bricklayers also insists they have qualified bricklayers, adding that they organize refresher training among themselves on a regular basis.

They called on the government to accord the association due recognition and support, saying that they should be carried along in the scheme of things for more collaboration and assistance.