Three-storey building collapses in Imo

… NIOB leadership condemns quakery, demands domestication of building code

By Jude Onyenedogha

A three storey building under construction collapsed in Imo State, Thursday 11 June trapping people under the rubble, though no casualty was reported, as early emergency responders were said to have rescued those trapped under the building.

The building situated behind Ike Service Apartment, off Dennis road by Admiral School Umuguma, Owerri West LGA collapsed early hours of Thursday.

Builders in Imo State , under the umbrella of The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) on Saturday, June 14 embarked on inspection visit to the site of the collapsed structure.

Speaking during the inspection, the chairman, Imo State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Bldr. Vitalis Nlemuzor disclosed that building collapse is at high rate in Imo, due to non domestication of building code in the state, wherein professional and registered Builders will be given their rightful place.

He said when this is done, the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) will ensure an undertaking before a developer moves into site for building construction

“We’re here today because the Institute learnt about the building collapse around this vicinity, luckily for us our PRO handled a project close by, the building standing there was handled by our PRO.”

“There are a lot of causes of building collapse: none involvement of professionals in handling building projects. Building is a product and there are people satisfied by law to handle this product. Building is not a one man show.

“Looking at this project, you can see that professionals were not involved in carrying it out and here in the result. Where are those that were executing this project, everybody has gone. And that is why Builders have been clamouring and shouting in Imo State that there is need for a letter of undertaking to be signed by a Registered Builder, to handle the project based on stipulated standard.

“A lot of factors are involved in this collapsed building looking at the reinforcement, the sizes and spacing, looking at the quality of the concrete, the columns, the beams are all problems here, looking at the blocks and you will see that the quality of materials used in this project is a problem. Then the workmanship, the person handling the project is a problem, look at the lap length of most of the columns”

“Our massage is clear, let Builders, as satisfied by law manage Building Production.

He stressed on the need for the State Government to domesticate the building code and also pass a law through the House of Assembly, mandating OCDA to obtain an undertaking from a registered Builder for any building plan it approves”.

Speaking about the contractor handling the collapsed building, “the law should take its rightful action. Who handled this project? Was there approval? Was the building built based on what was approved? The person handling the project should be questioned because this is what they produced. So many buildings in this area that were handled by registered builders are still standing till date: this one handled by one of us is standing, why is this one not standing?”

“That was how it happened at Yaradua-Drive road Owerri, that one was 7 story building, another one happened at Royce Road, and we cried and cried still nothing happened. It has happened again today here, there is a need for the right people to be allowed to man their product: Builders are the right people approved by law to handle building Production on site.” He submitted.

Adding his voice, Bldr. Sir Ability Chika Nwachukwu (PRO Nigerian Institute of Building, Imo State Chapter) emphasized that none domestication of Building Code has resulted in a lot of avoidable building collapses in Imo State, thereby denting the image of the State.

He assured that buildings under the care of registered builders will never collapse and Imo will be rated high in building professionalism if only professional Builders are allowed to carry building construction in the state, advising Imolites to stop engaging quacks in building services.

Other Executive members of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Imo State chapter who were in the inspection team were; Sir Samuel Ugwuegbu (Secretary of the institute), Bldr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor (Assist. Secretary), Bldr. Tochi Nwakuba (Provost), Bldr. Innocent Onugogu ( former Vice Chairman), Bldr. Isidore Ajaero (Financial Secretary).

During the inspection, our correspondent met and interacted with some eye witnesses and affected persons, including members of a a family of five which had two persons trapped down by the failed structure, but were rescued by neighborhood intervention.

Speaking to our correspondent, the father of the family of five Hyginus Kirie who hails from Ihitte Uboma LGA of Imo State and was living in the uncompleted building with his wife and children narrated how his wife and two children escaped while he and one of his children were trapped down by the collapsed building but were saved by the quick intervention of members of the neighbourhood, even as they sustained varying degrees of injuries.