Regulatory agencies react to Utako building collapse

Director, FCT Development Control Department, Yahaya Yusuf, in his reaction explained that the building had long been marked for demolition and the owner was expected to foot the financial cost of the integrity test, adding “we are aware that there was a building collapse somewhere in Utako. We had already marked the building and we […]

Director, FCT Development Control Department, Yahaya Yusuf, in his reaction explained that the building had long been marked for demolition and the owner was expected to foot the financial cost of the integrity test, adding “we are aware that there was a building collapse somewhere in Utako. We had already marked the building and we told the owner to stop work. We were at the stage of conducting an integrity test when we heard about the building collapsed.
 An independent body was supposed to do that at the expense of the owner. There were no casualties as occupant of the uncompleted building had already been warned to vacate,’’ he said.
Also reacting to the incident, the Director General, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alhaji  Abass Idris  said that there is a need to re-evaluate the uncompleted structures in the federal capital territory to ensure that they don’t pose as danger to residents.
The DG said this at the scene of a collapsed structure at Utako.
The DG who spoke through a director in the agency, Engr. Anthony Efediyi, Director, Department of Forecasting, Mitigation and Response, FCT Emergency Management Agency, said the evaluation has become necessary in other to prevent emergency situations in the FCT.
He said that the collapsed building has a building plan approval it obtained from the relevant government agency but has been abandoned for over ten years.
Engr Efediyi said “the collapse could be due to the fact that the house is along the river channel, making all the storm water in the area to flow towards it but the structure is blocking the flow. The implication of this is that all structural elements has been weakened over the years, thereby making the building to lose structural stability, hence the notice of demolition by our sister agency. Unfortunately the house collapsed before they could bring it down.”
FEMA who were the first agency to arrive at the scene alongside NEMA were delighted that no life was lost and none of the four persons in residence at the uncompleted building were seriously injured.
Though one of the squatters claimed they noticed that the house was giving way, they continued to stay there due to financial constraints.

Alh. Abass Idris said there is no excuse for anyone to endanger their lives. He added that FEMA does not only respond to emergency situations by coordinating and mobilizing all relevant emergency agencies to site, but also avert disasters where possible.
“That is why there is a need to evaluate abandoned structures, carry out stability tests on them, and remove the ones that can pose a threat to life as soon as possible.’
The Director General ordered that the remnant of the affected structure be demolished immediately.
Alh. Abass Idris said FEMA is working with other Government and non-governmental organizations to ensure that Abuja is safe for all.