Building collapse: Matawal heads FCTA inquiry panel

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has inaugurated a panel of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse at Plot 711, Cadastral Zone B04, Jabi District, Abuja last month. The panel which is chaired by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Building and […]

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has inaugurated a panel of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse at Plot 711, Cadastral Zone B04, Jabi District, Abuja last month.

The panel which is chaired by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute, Prof. Danladi S. Matawal, has a retired Director of Engineering Services, FCDA, Engr. S. O Ugonabo; MD, Fola Consult – a Planning Firm; Tpl S.A. Olajide; MD, 2-Habit Concept – an architectural firm and Arch Philip Z. Iortyer as members.

Also on the panel are representatives of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC) and Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), as well as the FCTA General Counsel, Barr. Mohammed Babangida Umar.

The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, said the FCTA, as a responsible and responsive administration, was committed to unravelling the causes of the unfortunate incident with a view to stemming future occurrence.

He said some officers directly in charge of monitoring the project site have been suspended pending the completion of investigations.

The minister said the panel, which has three weeks to complete its assignment, is charged with the responsibility of assessing the quality of the subsoil, foundations and designs for the structure, establish the quality of supervision and nature of construction materials used as well as the experience of the technical personnel at the site.

The committee is also to assess the level of regulation at the site and recommend appropriate sanction against any person found wanting.

Speaking after the inauguration, Prof. Matawal said the frequency of building collapse in Nigeria was unacceptable given the level of professionalism in the industry. He commended the present FCT Administration for the reduction of the incidence of building collapse in the Territory, noting that the last time this happened was in August 2016.

He recalled that in 2012 alone, there were over 20 recorded cases, adding that the fact that this has reduced was as a result of the efforts of the present Administration to tame the tide.

A three floor structure under construction in Jabi District collapsed on Friday, August 17, 2018 leaving three persons dead while six others sustained various degrees of injuries.