Mechanism for Building Standards: Towards an Effective Building Control Practice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja

Abstract

Despite the establishment and operations of development control departments across Nigeria, the nation’s Building assets has been plagued with quality deficit that exposes users of such buildings and the public to vulnerability to hazards and disasters resulting from building failures, thus the need for effective building control practice that would ensure construction standard. This study assess the developmental control practices with the view of proposing a mechanism for an improved building standards in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This exploratory research adopted a pragmatic approach through mixed methodology design. This was done through administration of questionnaires survey and an interview of relevant stakeholders to the research context. The findings show that of all the constructs considered under the study, three (3) of which comprises of; improved institutional framework, increased enforcement and compliance level, and elimination of perceived challenges that constantly hindered the attainment of control department objectives were found to be critical for an improved developmental control towards an improved quality infrastructures in the study area. Therefore, a mechanism for developmental building control practices (MDBC) was developed. It is recommended that the MDBC be put into practice for the benefits of the built environment.