On the Lagos Master Craftsman Project

By Nwonah Olubukonla

Over the last two decades, the rise in occurrences of building collapse in Nigeria has assumed a worrisome dimension as many lives have been lost and massive investments wasted. Survey has revealed that issues around building failure can be attributed to either natural or man-made phenomenon.

Some of the man-made causes identified are the use of sub-standard building materials; poor workmanship; engaging quacks instead of professionals; non-enforcement of building regulations and many more.

However, this development has been detrimental to the construction industry as many Nigerians now doubt the competence of the average Nigerian artisan and construction jobs are being taken up by artisans from neighboring countries that have been proven to be better skilled on the job. This trend is pathetic, considering the level of economic recession and unemployment in the country.

In a bid to cushion the effects of economic recession in Nigeria, the Lagos State Government initiated some dynamic reforms in the housing sector. These initiatives include the Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing policies; which are people oriented policies that would gradually translate to appreciable reduction in housing deficit in the State.

Of utmost concern to the Government now is that despite the huge investment being made in the housing sector, construction jobs which would have created avenues of employment for our youths are being infiltrated by artisans from neighboring countries.

A critical examination of the problem can be linked to the fact that our nation has long failed to accord technical and vocational education the required attention, leading to near extinction of technicians who constitute a critical mass of the technological workforce of any nation. Nigeria needs to follow the steps of progressive economies like Japan, Germany, and Brazil whose technological base is being advanced by a rich and quality reservoir of technicians.

Recently, the Lagos State Government flagged an initiative tagged the Master Craftsman Project. Cheerfully, the first batch of 200 graduands emerged from the total number of 4000 Artisans to be trained. The main objective of the project is basically to create a platform through which artisans and workers in the construction industry would be trained, retrained and certified with 21st Century Skill required for much needed technological development of Nigeria.

This project is geared towards achieving self reliance and technological advancement for the artisans in the built environment. It is expected that this program will put an end to the situation where services of artisans such as carpenters, steel fabricators, plumbers, electricians, painters, tillers are sourced from outside the boarder as a result of their expertise. Local artisans will therefore be skilled and engaged by Nigerians and even be sourced from neighboring countries.

Apart from the training acquired, the State Government will empower each certified Master Craftsman with tools of their trade. In addition, their names and areas of specialty will be uploaded on-line on our data base as registered Master Craftsmen for easy access by members of the public who may require their services. The multiplier effect of this intervention will create job opportunities, economic empowerment and increased market share for local craftsmen among others. For now, the training venues are Lagos State Government Technical Schools located at Ikorodu, Epe and Ikotun, which all have the capacity for a large work based learning infrastructure.

Provided this new initiative is sustained, then a remarkable improvement can be guaranteed in the quality of artisans available in the construction industry. Unskilled artisans would feel out of place when they realize that professionalism counts and they would have no option than to surrender to be retrained.

Of course, the confidence of the clients would be restored in patronizing local artisans and this would not only create jobs but grow to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State. Wastage of massive investments in structural development due to collapse of buildings would be minimized and thousands of precious lives would be saved.

This is a creative strategy from the State government to solve the twain issues of job creation and building collapse in the State. It is a reflection of the current thinking of the Ambode administration in respect of put up ingenious measures to boost job creation. In a recession economy like ours, every effort that is made to create an enabling environment for empowerment should be commended. If our teeming youths are productively engaged, it likelihood of them turning into anti-social agents will surely be minimized. It is also expected that with well trained artisans, the incidence of building collapse and its attendant woes will be drastically reduced.

Local artisans should, therefore, take advantage of the opportunity to acquire needed skill and competence. Learning should be an ongoing process.  It is only when one dies that learning stops; therefore no artisan should feel too big to be retrained. In the immortal words of renowned American Basketball coach, John Robert Wooden: “It is what you learn after you know it all that counts”.

Nwonah is of the Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.