A RISING INCIDENCE OF BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA
Shelter is one of the most important human needs. However, some efforts to provide shelter through building construction have been painfully destructive in the process. Sometimes it is the old buildings that have collapsed. Building collapses have resulted from the use of sub- standard materials, poor building plans and lack of maintenance of the structures.
Several buildings have collapsed in Nigeria in recent times, raising concerns over whether sub-standard building materials are being used by construction firms desperate to cut corners and maximize their gains.
Whenever Building collapse occurred, stakeholders always look for whom to blame. Most at times, the largest proportion of the blame goes to the Institutions that are responsible for the training of professionals in the building industry such as, the Institute of Architect, Institute of Building and the Institute of Structural Engineers. These professional bodies in turn shift the largest proportion of the blame to the Government/economic situation of the country or the activities of quack.
In view of the fact that the cause of a building failure is almost always unique to the particular building in question, experts have try to identify some of the factor that could be responsible for building collapse in Nigeria. However, the general reason why buildings may be susceptible to collapse is lack of adequate compaction of the soil inside the foundation before placing hard-core and pouring the "German floor". Steps that could help avert the problems in the first place: The quality of material used is a factor in building failure e.g. cement, rod etc. Weak soils also, because of their geologic make up, some layers of soil are just not strong enough to carry the weight of a building. This is mainly applicable to the top layer of the soil on most parcels of land.
The Nigeria experiences have shown that building collapses have taken a lot of lives hence, the need for prevention and control. Therefore it recommended that; the constituted authority should discourage the construction of multi storey buildings by just anybody. -The construction of multi storey building must be properly contracted through the competitive tendering method, this will make contractor become liable for collapse. -The contractor should be made to produce a built document at the end of construction indicating the expected life of the building, the maximum numbers of person expected on the building at any time, the periods of maintenance and a statement of guarantee stating that the building is safe for use. -A copy of the document above should be deposited with the local government authority for proper monitoring.
Across the globe the same pattern is repeated. Studies show that more than two billion people, representing one-third of the world’s population, have been subjected to natural disasters in the last decade, with floods and droughts accounting for 86 percent of all such catastrophes. The studies indicate that although earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides may be more dramatic, and take a very high toll on human lives, floods have longer lasting and more far-reaching effects on the health of ordinary people.
Floodas one of the natural disaster is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may result from the volume of water within a body of water, such as a river or lake, which overflows or breaks levees, with the result that some of the water escapes its usual boundaries. While the size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow melt, it is not a significant flood unless such escapes of water endanger land areas used by man like a village, city or other inhabited area.
Natural processes, such as hurricanes, weather systems, and snowmelt, can cause floods. Failure of levees and dams and inadequate drainage in urban areas can also result in flooding.
In the last seven days theSokoto Statehas witness a season of flood as a result of Rima dam breakage no fewer than 50 villages have been ravaged by floods, while more than 130,000 persons in nine councils have been displaced,the flood had so far claimed eight persons in the last seven days. The affected local governments were Isa, Goronyo, Wurno, Rabah, Kware, Gwadabawa, Wamakko, Kebbe and Silame. Out of the 50 villages affected, 20 were completely submerged, while some bridges and roads were destroyed.
Over 500 internally displaced people (IDP) camps have so far being erected to shelter the effected communities and to extend humanitarian gesture to the effected population. However, the FG has sent relief material to the State Government for onward distribution to the effected communities, in addition the state government has spent over 500m in provision of relief materials to the victim .
History has shown that flood disaster is not a recent phenomenon, and that its destructive tendencies are sometimes enormous. For instance, in Nigeria, report has it that serious flood disasters have occurred in Ibadan (1985, 1987 and 1990), Osogbo (1992, 1996, 2002), Yobe (2000), Akure (1996, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006) and the coastal cities of Lagos, Ogun, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Uyo, Warri etc.
In 2001, twenty people died after floods hit the state of Kano, according to the Nigerian Red Cross. A further 48,500 have been displaced. In neighbouring Jigawa, 180 deaths were registered, 800 people were injured and 35,500 displaced. The total number of people affected, including those whose farmlands were washed away, exceeds 143,000.
According to the Red Cross and crescent International that July, August and September 2007 resulted in severe flooding, leading to loss of life and extensive displacement of families across the country. The nine most seriously affected states were: Lagos, Ogun, Plateau, Nasarrawa, Bauchi, Sokoto, Yobe, Borno and Kebbi. By August 2007, more than 46 people had lost their lives and more than 2,500 families had been displaced. In addition, the flood waters destroyed a number of homes, contaminated farmland and crops, and depleted livestock and other household assets.
One of the measure to prevent floodare as follow; Awareness creation through sensitization campaign on land use (avoiding building in the floodplain and River bank) and dumping of refuse on our drainage; Professionals to prepare layouts; Provision of standard drainages and culverts; Planting of tress; Government should be involved in all land transaction, There should be continuous monitoring and maintenance of Dams, River channels and drainages.
A NATION RAVAGE WITH CHOLERA OUTBREAK
The recent outbreak of the cholera in the country has sent hundred to their untimely death. Though it believed that the outbreak is predominant in the Northern part of the country without doubt the whole country is at risk. Cholera is disease generally spread through food and water contaminated with the bacteria.
Cholera is a severe infection caused by the bacteriumVibrio cholerae, which primarily affects the small intestine. The main symptoms include profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission is primarily by the acquisition of the pathogen through contaminated drinking water or infected food. The severity of the diarrhea and associated vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte loss, which can lead to death. Cholera is a major cause of death in the world.
Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Cholera as an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water, contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio Cholera. The disease, which has a short incubation period, causes copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given.
The primary signs and symptoms of cholera are profuse diarrhea, severe dehydration and abdominal pain. Cholera may also cause vomiting. These symptoms start suddenly, usually one to five days after infection, and are the result of a toxin produced by the vibrio cholerae bacterium that compels profuse amounts of fluid from the blood supply into the small and large intestines.An untreated cholera patient may produce around 10 litres of diarrhoeal fluid a day
Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. The last major outbreak in the US occurred in 1911. However, cholera continues to be the a major cause death in the world and still present in Asia, middle East, Latin America, India and Sub Saharan Africa.
In June this year, when about 170 people were reportedly killed in Northern Cameroun and 2000 were affected according to UN during a cholera outbreak, there were fears that the disease may spread into neighbouring Nigeria and Chad.
Other countries in West and Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Ivory Coast, Benin and Liberia have also reported outbreaks of cholera since the start of the rainy season.
Less than two months later, the disease hit the northern states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Jigawa, Taraba, amongst others.
In the table showing the cumulative cases, deaths, and number of local government areas affected by cholera outbreak from January to August 2010, the first outbreak occurred in Adamawa State in June and as at July a total of 352 deaths out of 6,497 suspected cases of cholera had been recorded in 11 states. The table also showed that out of the 11 affected states, Bauchi recorded the highest with 1,725 cases of cholera, 53 deaths, and eight local governments affected.
The recent outbreak of cholera in the southern part of the country e.g Oyo, Lagos and Enugu etc has shown that the Nation is at risk of epidemic.
The 36 states of the federation and their local government councils should avail themselves of the scary data and information obtained by the federal health authorities in the recent epidemiological survey of this disease and move quickly to institute programmes of action for prevention, control and treatment. Safe drinking water should be provided. Citizens should be sensitised and assisted to adopt safe and hygienic disposal and management of human waste in the rural areas. Primary and secondary heath officials at all levels should teach the principle and the use of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in the treatment of cholera for which clean bottled water should be provided.
