The panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate the cause of the two-storey school building collapse in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Friday, disclosed in its preliminary report, that the building was constructed with weak materials.

Recall that the two-storey building housing Saint Academy located at the Busa Buji community in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State collapsed on Friday, killing 22 persons and leaving about 132 injured.

The Director General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Samson Duna who spoke with journalists on the issue, stated that the panel headed by O.F. Job of the Building Department at the University of Jos revealed that from its physical observation, the building looked distressed.

Job said the report also depicted that the quantity of concrete used in the two-story building was in doubt as there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement, adding that the slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate.

The DG said, “The committee has commenced its investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the physical observation of the building looks distressed.

“The quantity of concrete is in doubt because there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement.

“The slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate. The sizes of the footing (foundation) provided were lesser than the required number (1200 mm X 1200mm). A comprehensive report on the investigation will be presented at the conclusion of the investigation.”

Duna advised the government and other professional bodies in the construction industry to insist on carrying out integrity tests on all distressed buildings, especially those around the collapsed building site.

He stated that there was need to fight the menace of building collapse in Nigeria especially as the country is experiencing an average of 20 building collapses annually.

He stated that the institute has so far intervened in more than 60 cases of building collapses in Nigeria.

Duna stated that there was need for all organs of government and professional bodies responsible for building construction to enforce strict compliance with building codes, regulations, and standards.

“There should be professionalism by ensuring that only qualified professionals like registered architects, engineers, and builders are involved in building projects. In a situation where a contractor borrows a certificate from a professional to execute a job, both the contractor and the owner of the certificate should be sanctioned,” he said.

He called for regular inspections and penalties for non-compliance, lamenting that no one has been sanctioned for negligence or found wanting in relation to building collapse.

“Public awareness should be reinforced by educating the public on the importance of building safety and the risk of illegal construction. This is necessary because many are not aware of what they need to do before they embark on building projects,” he added