The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has announced that it will soon commence standards testing of sandcrete blocks across the country as one of the ways to tackle building collapse and construction failures.

The organisation said it had started deploying block testing machines in all its offices across the country.

The Director-General, SON, Mr. Anthony Aboloma, was quoted to have said during a visit by block moulders to his office that they played a critical role in economic development, adding that the organisation was strengthening its collaboration with the moulders by rolling out machines in large numbers to give them the opportunity to test their blocks, while also complying with standards.

Aboloma said the move would checkmate the production of substandard blocks across the country.

He said, “We believe their job is very important and we cannot tolerate the incidence of substandard blocks that will lead to building collapse in the country. The menace is a threat to any society, a drain to the economy and danger to the lives of people and property.

“We have a programme to train the block moulders in the six geographical zones; we have done three, we have three more to complete, and in addition to that, we have just inaugurated a made-in-Nigeria block testing machine, which will be deployed soon. There is no doubt that the economy is in recession, but at the same time, we must not compromise standards and anybody that falls short of the standards will have to face the wrath of the law.”

The President, National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, Rasheed Adebowale, said the synergy between the body and SON would address building collapse in the country.

PUNCH.