By Mohammed Baba Busu
The President, of Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Prof. Akinade Olatunji has called on governments at all levels to engage in pre-construction engineering geological investigation in the execution of development projects in the country.
Olatunji stated this while declaring open the 2023 Annual Conference of the Nigeria Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment ( NAEGE) in Minna on Tuesday.
He said: “What we are saying is that Nigeria is blessed with professional human resources, well trained. Why not use all of them in comprehensive and integrative ways?
President, Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS).
“This is to actually fashion out the best way to develop. Otherwise, we will spend billions of Naira on doing roads, and even before the contractors leave the site, the roads are already failing.”
Olatunji attributed the frequent collapse of buildings, bridges, and roads in the country to the lack of proper inputs from professionals in geosciences.
According to him, the recurring cases of collapses of buildings and failure of roads’ pavements and other structures in Nigeria are linked to the lack of adequate and comprehensive pre-construction subsoil investigation and accurate interpretation of results in design and construction.
Olatunji said:” Until governments and the people begin to follow global best practices in the construction industry, the challenges of sustainable infrastructural development in the country will persist.” (NAN)
