GOMEP-NG Warns Against Poor POP Ceiling Workmanship, Urges Strict Professional Standards

ABUJA - The Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has raised concerns over what it described as the increasing incidence of failed Plaster of Paris (POP) ceiling installations across the country, attributing the trend to the use of substandard materials and poor workmanship.

Speaking during an engagement with artisans in Abuja, the National President of GOMEP-NG, Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, cautioned craftsmen against abandoning proper apprenticeship and professional training in the rush to secure contracts.

According to him, many individuals now undertake POP ceiling installations without acquiring the necessary skills or receiving certification from experienced masters, resulting in unsafe construction practices and premature structural failures.

"You do not have to run away from apprenticeship and begin collecting jobs when your boss has not certified you as competent. Many POP ceilings in homes are falling apart because of inadequate training, poor workmanship and the use of low quality materials," Otiti said.

He lamented that modern POP ceiling installations often fail to meet acceptable standards, adding that many no longer possess the durability associated with traditional ceiling construction methods.

"I still believe the older ceiling construction methods were more durable than some of the POP installations we see today, which collapse far too easily," he added.

Otiti called on relevant government regulatory agencies, professional associations and stakeholders in the building industry to strengthen oversight of artisans and contractors to ensure only qualified professionals undertake ceiling installation projects.

He further urged homeowners and property developers to engage certified and experienced professionals, stressing that cutting corners during construction could endanger lives and lead to costly repairs.

The GOMEP-NG President maintained that improving professional standards, enforcing quality control measures and encouraging proper apprenticeship would help restore confidence in POP ceiling installations and enhance safety in the nation's construction industry.