MR Olayemi Shonubi, Vice President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), has advocated the adoption of the “Joint Contract Tribunal (JCT) 2011’’ in the Nigerian housing construction industry.

Shonubi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the JCT 2011 is a form of contract used for construction purposes that would boost housing delivery.

He said it was a guide to the different contract options, prepared in the best interest of the client, contractors, promoters and all stakeholders involved in construction contracts and projects.

According to the vice president, the 2011 edition of JCT provides a comprehensive mechanism for resolution of disputes/conflicts that could emanate from construction contracts.

He said there had not been much progress in the industry, as most of the operations in the building construction industry were still 20th century processes and procedures.

Shonubi said that countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Singapore among others, had adopted the modern contract concept of JCT 2011, stressing the need for Nigeria to upgrade to meet the international standard.

“The JCT 2011 is one of the reforms operators in the construction industry have been clamouring for, and if embraced, will turn round the tide in the industry.

“The quantity surveyors are becoming updated with this modern concept, and other players in the industry need to do the same because we cannot continue to operate with the old days methods,’’ he said.

Shonubi said that the JCT contract had been in use as a form of contract for construction purposes, but professionals in the country had continued to use the 1963 version.

He said that in the UK, however, it had been revised in 1980, 1998, 2005, 2011 and 2016.

“The progress has gone beyond where we are in Nigeria. The country is lagging behind.

“Nigeria must not be left behind. In order to benchmark our industry to the international standard, the construction industry must upgrade to the JCT 2011 of the world’s best practice.

“Meanwhile, the 2011 edition is a comprehensive version, tested over time and confirmed to contain all the conditions of construction contracts from the procurement stage, execution and down to completion stage.

“It also puts into consideration the cost variations and changes that might erupt in the course of a contract due to economic instability and uncertainties,’’ he said.

Shonubi said that the JCT 2011 needs to be uniformly adopted by all professionals in the housing and construction industry, particularly the Surveyors, Architects and Engineers.

According to him, it is only when the concerned operators in the industry imbibe the approach that its effects will be felt.

The vice president said adoption of the technique would bring about remarkable development in the industry.

Shonubi enjoined operators in the industry to adopt the ‘JCT 2011’ form of contract as a basis of solution in construction contracts that could jump-start business activities in the industry. (NAN)

– Sept. 25, 2018 @ 16:55 GMT |