Photo: An unrelated collapsed building
By Deborah Nnamdi
A middle-aged man, simply identified as Udeme, is feared dead following the collapse of a two-story building under construction at the Egbelu Mgbaraja area of Ogbogoro Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The incident, which occurred around 2 pm on Monday, is the second building collapse in the state in the state within one week, after a three-story building at Iriebe, Oyigbo LGA last week. No life was lost in that incident.
An eyewitness, Jonathan Obey, said the building at Ogbogoro caved in on Monday while the contractors were working on the 2nd floor, killing Udeme, while another person narrowly escaped death.
He said: “It’s a building collapse; as we speak, one person is trapped right inside the rubble. When we first came, we tried to rescue the person, but we couldn’t.”
Experts hinted that substandard materials might have been used to execute the project, adding that the foundation was just three feet deep.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has sealed the premises of the collapsed building and declared the property developer, one Vincent Nwoye, wanted over the tragic incident.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, during an on-the-spot inspection of the collapsed building, accused the developer of gross negligence and default of the extant building laws and regulations of Rivers State.
He cited the failure of the property developer to obtain a government-approved building plan and the use of substandard materials as the cause of the building collapse and avoidable death.
“The government has sealed this property in question and declared the owner wanted because a life has been lost; we need to question him to know why he chose to use substandard materials to execute the project and why he decided to use a 12mm rod for a 2-story building.
Bipi described the incident as one too many while warning property developers to desist from cutting corners and endangering the lives of innocent contractors.
He stated that the Rivers State Government sympathizes with the bereaved family and the people of the Ogbogoro Community over the unfortunate incident.
On his part, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Samuel Anya, expressed sadness over the loss of life in the building collapse due to the unethical and reckless practices of the property developer.
Anya accused the property developer of prioritizing profits over the safety of the construction workers and prospective tenants.
