The Union asserted that nonchalance of the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) led to the collapse of no fewer than 61 buildings, across the 36 states of Nigeria in 2022.
The Iron Rod and Steel Dealers Employers Association Union of Nigeria (IRSDEUN) has described the use of defective or substandard building materials as the major cause of building collapse cases in the country.
The Union asserted that nonchalance of the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) led to the collapse of no fewer than 61 buildings, across the 36 states of Nigeria in 2022.
National President of IRSDEUN, Chief Gbenga Awoyale made this known in a statement on Thursday, while reacting to the collapse of a multi-storey building at Lagos Street in Garki, Abuja which claimed two lives, while many others were trapped.
He alleged that saboteurs within SON were aiding production and distribution of substandard products for Nigerians’ consumption, adding that the regulatory body needed to be sanitised in the interest of safety of Nigerians, who were at the risk of losing their properties and lives to substandard building products.
IRSDEUN asked the new administration and the 10th National Assembly to sanitise the SON and get rid of its internal saboteurs aiding production and distribution of substandard products for Nigerians’ consumption.
Awoyale said “The saturation of our construction markets with substandard products is alarming. Nigerians are daily being exposed to the risk of substandard products and the situation is appearing helpless with the nonchalance of the Standard Organization of Nigeria.
“A major cause of building collapse cases, which have claimed many lives and fortunes in Nigeria are due to the use of defective or substandard building materials. In 2022, no fewer than 61 buildings collapsed across the 36 states of Nigeria.
"Although the iron rod dealers union had in recent times extended hands of fellowship to SON in its determination to rid the country of substandard steel products, there has been a roller coaster of actions from the regulatory authority, which the IRSDEUN suspect harbors saboteurs who are enabling manufacturers of these substandard products.
According to Awoyale, “Our Union has shown so much commitment to nipping in the bud, the challenge of substandard steel products. On many occasions, we have given SON scoops. At a point, we purchased these substandard items as evidence and called on SON to come make arrest, but till date, no one has been prosecuted or made to face the wrath of the law. It has been a roller coaster.
“We feel strongly that there are saboteurs within SON and the regulatory body needs to be sanitized in the interest of safety of Nigerians, who are at the risk of losing their properties and lives to substandard building products.
“For crying out loud, these expatriates manufacture standard quality products from here for export to other countries, it is however disturbing that it is in Nigeria where they are producing that they distribute substandard steel products for end users. Yea, it is more profit for us to distribute the substandard products, but we can’t be making unholy wealth at the expense of the lives of fellow Nigerians. The producers will, sooner or later, go back to their country.
“We call on President Tinubu and the leadership of the Nigeria Senate and Federal House of Representatives to rise up to the challenge and save Nigerians from these callous manufacturers, who are majorly expatriates.”