FORBBEN canvasses increased local content in construction projects

Heads of built environment regulatory agencies in Nigeria under the aegis of the Forum of Regulatory Bodies of Built Environment in Nigeria (FORBBEN) have decried the inadequate local content in projects across the country.

FORBBEN, consisting of seven regulatory bodies, met recently in Abuja, where they discussed various issues confronting the real sector.

The President of the forum, Dipo Ajayi, hinted that the country’s housing challenges could be better tackled by designing and adopting local content approaches.

Ajayi called for the law on local content to be implemented to the letter, adding that no nation thrived mainly on importation of either the materials or the services.

He urged members of the group to work towards eliminating their differences to scale up professionalism within the sector.

The regulatory bodies, he said have resolved to align towards uplifting professionalism and engaging the Federal Government on the nation’s local content law.

The forum also harped on the need for all the regulatory bodies to be on budget line as well as the enforcement of discipline among members.

The President FORBBEN tasked members to avoid misunderstanding, stressing that all projects in the built environment could accommodate all professionals involved in the build environment.

FORBBEN includes Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria, Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

Others are Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria and Surveyors Council of Nigeria.