Kaduna: Insistence on standard building codes for public safety — not to punish developers

The Kaduna state urban planning development authority (KASUPA) says its insistence that property developers and owners adhere to standard building codes is for public safety.

Isma’il Dikko, KASUPDA director-general, said this on Monday in reaction to the recent collapse of a building in Nagoyi area of Zaria, Kaduna state.

No fatality was recorded in the incident.

In a statement, Dikko said the agency had earlier marked the building as unsafe.

“He recalled that when KASUPDA first issued an abatement notice and subsequently issued quit notice on the house located at Nagoyi area in Zaria city, some people reacted with insults against his officials,” the statement reads.

“Isma’il explained that KASUPDA issued the abatement notice after its Department of Monitoring Compliance (DMC) had noticed some structural defects on the building, adding that following the refusal of the owners to comply, the authority had to issue a quit notice.

“According to the DG, the collapse of the building last week has led people around the neighbourhood ‘who had earlier insulted our staff to now turn around to praise KASUPDA for issuing the quit notice order’.”

While commiserating with persons affected by the building collapse, the agency appealed to property owners to “ensure they get a building plan and all necessary documents before commencing any project”.

“The issuance of an abatement or quit notice to property owners and developers is as a result of an observation by KASUPDA on defects on a building and wants the owner, contractor or project manager to rectify it, so as to avert building collapse or any mishap in the future,” he added.