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Nigeria Records 22 Building Collapse, 33 Deaths In 7 months -COREN

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The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the regulatory body governing the practice of engineering has said that Nigeria recorded 22 building collapse between January to July 2024.

The President of COREN, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

The news conference is themed,’’The Incessant Spate of Building Collapse in Nigeria in Recent Times-A Call for Sustainable Collaboration by All Stakeholders.

Abubakar said that from January to 14 July, alone, at least 22 cases of building collapse have been reported in Nigeria with Lagos accounting for 27.27 per cent, Abuja and Anambra 18.18 per cent each.

He added that Ekiti and Plateau followed with 9.09 per cent each and Kano, Taraba and Niger states accounted for 4.55 per cent each.

’’Records also showed that Lagos takes the lead in the incidences of building collapse.

’’As a matter of fact, over 91 buildings have collapsed resulting in the death of over 354 persons in Lagos from 2012 to date.

’’Similarly in Abuja, about 30 buildings have collapsed from 1993 till date resulting in the death of more than 64 persons and injury of many.

’’The most recent occurrences of building collapse close to DMGS Onitsha , Anambra state on June 12 and that of a school (Saint Academy)in Plateau on July 13 where 22 students died and 134 injured as well as the building collapse in Kubwa , Abuja.

He said that the incidences were worrisome.

According to him, this calls for deep reflection and collaboration of all stakeholders in stemming the tide.

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’’While we commiserate with all victims and families, we want to commend the efforts of all emergency and security services for their prompt response at the time.’’

According to Abubabkar , the leading causes of building collapse varies from one location to the other.

He said some building collapse as a result of aging and from some investigations and researches conducted over time, use of substandard construction materials and structural failure were also responsible.

He said that other factors included :illegal change of use of buildings, illegal addition of floors, quackery, inadequate or lack of supervision and oversight.

He added other factors were faulty foundations or lack of conduct of soil/geotechnical investigation, sharp and corrupt practices amongst others.

Abubakar also commended the respective affected state governments for constituting a panel of enquiry to look into the various cases with a view to finding out the immediate and remote causes and preventing future occurrences.

’’This is not the time for apportioning blames or contest of superiority within the built environment but a time for all stakeholders to unite and proffer workable and lasting solution, particularly in the prevention of building collapses.

’’All professionals within the built environment have a role to play in this.

’’In this regard we have identified and categorised many stakeholders that we will be engaging shortly,’’he said

The President said that the proliferation of illegal miners even within residential areas as reported in some quarters was a danger to the structural stability of buildings.

He added that the council had therefore, urged affected states to take urgent steps to reverse the trend adding that it was also time to enforce the compulsory insurance of some building under construction.

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Abubakar said that perturbed by the incessant and avoidable incidences of building collapse in Nigeria and loss of lives in recent times, COREN had deemed to make major moves.

He said that COREN had taken some steps in monitoring and prevention of building collapse by training and licensing Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) inspectors.

Abubakar added that COREN had reconstituted its Council Committee on Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) and added an additional role of enforcement to its responsibility in line with the amended COREN Act.

He said that COREN had constituted ERM&E Task Force at regional levels including Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, FCT, Gombe and Lagos among other steps to tackle buildingcollapse.

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Tinubu Dismisses Kyari, Restructures NNPCL Board in Major Overhaul

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which includes the removal of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari and Chairman Pius Akinyelure, along with all other board members appointed in November 2023.

In an announcement, the President introduced an 11-member restructured board, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new GCEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the Non-Executive Chairman. These changes are effective immediately, as stated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy.

Emphasizing the need for “enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC,” President Tinubu exercised his authority under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to implement this significant reorganization.

The newly formed board comprises Adedapo Segun, who continues as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), alongside six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), Babs Omotowa (North Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East). Additionally, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed, representing the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, will serve on the board.

The President has charged the new board with conducting a strategic review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture assets to optimize value. This includes increasing crude oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030, boosting gas production to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion by 2030, and expanding NNPC’s refining capacity to 200,000 bpd by 2027 and 500,000 bpd by 2030. The administration also aims to attract $30 billion in oil investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030, building on the $17 billion secured in 2024.

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Ahmadu Musa Kida, the new Chairman, is a Borno-born engineer and former Deputy Managing Director of Total Nigeria. He also has a background in basketball, having served as the ex-president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed GCEO, hails from Kwara State and was previously the Executive Vice President of Renaissance Africa Energy, where he led a $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets. He brings extensive experience from Elf and Shell, having worked across Europe and the Middle East.

President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing board for their contributions, particularly their efforts in reviving the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which have resumed production after years of dormancy. Analysts view this leadership change as part of Tinubu’s broader reforms in the oil sector, following last year’s removal of fuel subsidies and the promotion of private refinery investments. With the new team established, there are high expectations for enhanced transparency, efficiency, and profitability within Nigeria’s state oil enterprise.

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FG To Implement Policy Compelling IOCs To Drill Or Drop Inactive Oil Wells

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Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.

Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.

He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.

“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.

Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.

He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.

“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.

“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”

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The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.

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Reps Demands Compensation For Families Of Slain Kano Hunters

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The minority caucus in the house of representatives has condemned the killing of 16 Kano-bound hunters in Edo state.

On Thursday, a mob in the Uromi area of Edo killed 16 hunters of northern descent who were travelling from Elele, Rivers state.

The travellers were attacked and lynched after some vigilance group members raised the alarm on suspicion that they were kidnappers.

The Edo state government said 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killing would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.

During a visit to some of the families of the victims at Bankure LGA in Kano, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, assured that justice would be served.

In a statement issued on Monday, the minority caucus described the killing of the hunters as “barbaric”.

“We find such brutal killings of innocent Nigerians in any part of the country by lawless mobs very reprehensible, and if allowed to fester without being put in check by responsible organs of the federal government, such actions could threaten the peace and unity of the country,” the statement reads.

The lawmakers asked Nigerians never to resort to jungle attacks on fellow citizens but to always report any concerns to security agencies.

“We are a nation under the rule of laws, and our law enforcement agencies are always available to partner with every Nigerian to assuage their concerns,” the caucus said.

While noting that the incident is “already setting emotions on edge” in parts of the country, the legislators urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.

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“Also, adequate compensation should be paid to the affected families,” the caucus said.

The lawmakers implored Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding and allow the federal and state governments to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.

The statement was signed by Kingsley Chinda, minority leader; Ali Isa, minority whip; and Aliyu Madaki, deputy minority leader.

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