By Samuel Aruwan
Kaduna
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday in Kaduna expressed concern over non-compliance to laws regulating buildings and environment in the country.
The agency also stated that there were gains in enforcing laws regulating building and environment in the country.
Speaking at a workshop on tagged: “Better Implemented and Enforced Laws for Safer Cities” organised by NEMA North-west zone, the Coordinator, Musa Ilallah, said: “The objectives was to enhance the knowledge of Nigerians through being proactive towards making cities safe. The abuses and distortions of building and town planning regulations like building/farming on water ways, erecting toxic and dangerous structures or carrying out dangerous activities in proximity to where humans live aggravate the impacts of disasters.
“You will agree with me that cases of building collapses, flooding in our towns, cities and farmlands and illegal mining among others are some of the consequences arising from lack of enforcement of our building and planning laws in the country.
“While town planning laws ensure that people do not live in high risk areas or face seasonal threats such as food, building codes on the other hand ensure that appropriate building standards are adhered to in order to reduce the impact of hazards. Such hazards include fires, floods and high winds, saying environmental management laws prevent creation of hazards like pollution.’’
Appealing for general consciousness in the public, Ilallah further said: “I am calling on concerned professionals, community and religious leaders to contribute their quota towards ensuring better implemented and enforced laws for safer cities and towns.”