By Deborah Nnamdi
Rivers State Government has announced plans for a task force to enforce compliance with the building laws and regulations of the State, following the incessant building collapse and the danger it poses to the lives of residents.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi disclosed this during an on-the-spot inspection of another collapsed 3-storey building under construction in the Abacha Road axis of GRA Port-Harcourt.
The latest building collapse occurred on Friday, bare 4 days after a similar incident occurred in the Egbelu Mgbaraja area, Ogbogoro Community of Obio-Akpor LGA, which claimed one life and severely injured two persons.
Bipi said the force would monitor all property development sites in the State to ensure that developers fully comply with the building laws and regulations of the State to prevent further building collapse.
He accused the developer of gross violation of the government-approved building plan by using substandard materials to raise a 3-storey building in a waterlogged area.
He also warned of tougher penalties against defaulters of the Physical Planning Development Law of the State to serve aa s deterrent.
The Commissioner for Special Duties, es Dr. Samuel An, ya said the State Government might be considering enacting a legal framework that would seek to imprison defaulting Engineers with an option of heaviness.
He noted that this would deter both the Engineers and developers from cutting corners or using substandard materials and endangering the lives of innocent construction workers.
In the meantime, officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development have sealed the premises of the 3-storey building along the Abacha Road axis of GRA Port-Harcourt and invited the property developer and Engineer for investigation.
