By Austin Ogwuda
The myriad of problems we face in this country fester because either proper diagnosis is not carried out to determine the root cause why the problem occurred in the first place or that the appropriate authorities charged with the responsibility to supervise are found guilty of dereliction of duty.
But what is more worrisome is that once something unusual happens, it turns into a blame game.
Nobody cares to find out who dropped the ball and at what stage.
A case in point is the recent partial collapse of a proposed 20-storey building in Asaba, Delta State.
I was amused when the General Manager of the Urban and Regional Planning Board, Mr. P.O Amaduobogha told newsmen in Asaba that the Board in conjunction with the State Ministry of Urban Renewal conducted a preliminary investigation shortly after the collapse to find out the remote and immediate cause (s) leading to the collapse.
The GM was proud with his shoulders high purporting to have achieved a feat by telling the press that the construction firm in charge should be blamed for collapse.
What a medicine after death syndrome! After the so-called fire brigade approach or call it, playing to the gallery, the GM told the anxious media men that their investigative panel found the company liable for utilising substandard materials.
He didn’t stop there, he further revealed that “there was lack of quality supervision, issues such as non perpendicular alignment and negligence in attending to minor details, both on the part of the builder and the Project Managers, Arc Enahoro Zedomi of Consultants Collaborative Partnerships.
Consequently, the Panel recommended that the structure be cordoned off and subjected to comprehensive structural testing.
The simple question The Town Hall Media would like to find out from the GM is were government officials who collect heavy imprest apart from salary for regular routine inspection of projects under construction sleeping when the project was going on under their nose?
When will people own up to their fault and stop pointing accusing fingers to other areas when the fingers should be directed at them?
What an irony! Although this Reporter is a novice when it comes to building construction but not to the extent of not knowing that there is what is called soil testing to be conducted especially when a high rise structure of that magnitude whether it is seven-storey or twenty-storey as being banded is to be erected.
If proper supervision was carried out, it could have been discovered that substandard materials were being used and the State has the power to halt the construction until the necessary corrections are rectified.
Although I am not in any way holding brief or in defence of the building managers so implicated, my concern here is that the right thing should be done.
In other climes by now, both the construction firm mentioned, all those expected to oversee the construction through on the spot supervision from all the relevant State ministries, Agencies should be arrested including the owner of the structure for vicarious liability.
Other stakeholders like, COREN, Building Society of Nigeria etc in Delta State should share part of the blame too bacause I am aware they have monitoring teams moving round.
Well, the Federal Government can be spared partially.
It was good news to hear that Federal Government, recently despatched a team of experts from the The Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) to investigate the collapse too.
Although the construction of the structure had barely gone too far before a section of it came down on the 14th of September this year during a heavy downpour in the city of Asaba.
It is located located directly opposite Shoprite Mall and according to a reliable source, owned by a billionaire oil magnet, Chief Executive Officer CEO of Rainoil Group, Chief Gabriel Ogbechie.
The investigating team from NBRRI comprised of six experts led by Professor (Engr.) Akaolisa Ezeagu.
Addressing newsmen, Ezeagu said, “We have done a scientific prima facie assessment of the collapsed section of the building and equally had a prima facie survey of the whole structure.
“We thank the State government for the preliminary access to the team, and urged them to grant us full access to the site to run full scale investigation.
“We believe that our expert reviews and findings as a research institute with the core mandate of research carried out on critical infrastructure, in this case, the hospitality industry, will help government, the client and all agencies to forestall future occurrences not only here but other subsequent ones.
“Now, we want to go into full scale investigation, which must be documented. We have applied and waiting for approval. We learnt that the Commissioner for Urban Renewal was out of the State for official assignment. Hopefully, we will get the documented approval”, he added.
Other members of the team include Kingsley Oghoro, Ikenna Onuorah, Chidiebere Afamefuna, Okolo Leonard (South-East zonal coordinator of NBRRI) and Wan Igwe Daniel.
NBRRI, a Federal Government research based agency, is under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, established with core mandate to carry out comprehensive and forensic investigation on critical infrastructure that suffered collapse of any kind.
In conclusion, while the Report of the Federal government is being awaited, The Town Hall Media, will not fail to point out that Delta State Agencies charged with the responsibility of oversight on that failed structure have a question to answer and stop the blame game.
Last Line: Also let it be noted on a good authority that there was existing borrow pit or call it a moat around the very site the construction of the collapsed building was being erected.