By Ovat Abeng
Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) Awka Chapter, Anambra State, has intensified awareness campaign and sensitizing of the people through an advocacy “Walk Against Building And Infrastructure Collapse.
The Walk that took place on Saturday, January 31st, 2026 attracted many stakeholders including the Chairman, Anambra State Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Honourable Emma Nwafor, Engineering Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, community leaders and other stakeholders.
The group who walked through some major roads in Awka carried placards with various inscriptions including, “Safe building is a human right, “Engineering ethics must come before profit, “Infrastructure failure is a national emergency”, “stop quackery in construction”, among others.
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Addressing journalists after the walk, the Chairman of the institute, Engineer Chidi Obiudu explained that the awareness and advocacy programme was aimed at promoting public consciousness
on safe construction practices, professional ethics, and the dangers associated with substandard building materials and
poor workmanship as well as seeks to engage key stakeholders, professionals, and the general public in advocating improved
construction standards and the prevention of avoidable building and infrastructure failures within Anambra State and Nigeria at large.
The State Assembly Chairman Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Honourable Nwafor, on his part, stressed that building of any structure should follow lay down rules, regulations and specifications and should be handled by professionals and qualified engineers, lamenting that quackery has caused avoidable deaths and waste of huge material resources.
In their separate contributions, a community leader and Vice Chairman of the institute, Engineer Chidi Anuligo, a university lecturer and Secretary of the institute, Engineer Collins Okoli and Comrade Emmanuel Chukwunonso from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, said professionals should focus on areas of specialization and get necessary approvals from relevant agencies before commencing construction to build safe structures.
