NAN-H-88
Panel
By Uche Bibilari
Abuja, Oct. 11, 2016 (NAN) The FCT administration has set up a Construction Information Panel to check illegality and quackery in any construction site, says, Mr Muktar Galadima, the Acting Director, Department of Development Control of that Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC).
Galadima made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the panel was set up to inform development control of any ongoing building project in FCT.
“There is a policy in the FCT now; for every construction site, there must be a construction information panel, a board that tells us what project is ongoing.
“It also tells us sponsor of the project, the consultants, the building plan approval number and the approval date.
“This is to check illegality and quackery because any project site where there is no information panel, then it has no approval’’.
He said that with this policy, members of the public could now monitor more effectively development work in the FCT.
Galadima said that anybody who wanted to develop any structure must obtain design guidelines on the said project.
“For anybody that intends to do any development in the FCT, before you even commence your design, we expect you to come down to the office, get your design guidelines on what you are to build.
“Once the necessary requirements are provided, it will reduce the time of granting building plan approval.”
Commenting on the FCT building code, he said that it provides for all regulatory standards.
“We have a building code and without the code, Abuja will not be as it is today; we have provision for building height, ventilation, lighting, specification of material and all regulatory standards.
“We have what we call the ‘development control manual’ in which we have extracted some information from the national building code and the relevant law.
“We are in the process of revealing that manual in line with global best practice; that is why you will notice the differences between Abuja and other neighbouring states.”
He said that the code was being enforced through the building inspectorate division which visits the site inspect the foundation and whether the setbacks were in line with what was approved.
He added that on completion, the team would also inspect the building to ascertain compliance with the approved plan after which they would issue a a certificate of completion and habitation, if satisfied. (NAN)
UU/DO/NKO
==========
Edited by David Onilede
=================