By Austin Ogwuda
The Federal Government has despatched a team of experts from the The Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) to investigate why a proposed 20-storey building under construction in Asaba, Delta State capital, collapsed.
Although the construction of the structure had barely gone too far before a section of it came down on the 14th of last month September 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 is comprised of six experts led by Professor (Engr.) Akaolisa Ezeagu.
Upon arrival three days ago in Asaba, they immediately sought audience with all the relevant bodies connected with the project including the building approving authority, the Delta State Ministry of Urban Renewal and that of the Delta State Ministry of Housing.
Addressing newsmen in Asaba, Friday, 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 is out of the State for official assignment. Hopefully by next week, 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.
While the investigation is on, recall also the structure collapsed exactly on Thursday night, same day that members of the Nigerian Institute of of Architects Delta State chapter began a two-day programme: Archi- Delta Expo in Asaba, brainstorming on how to address the menacing problem of building collapse.
The Governor was represented at that event by the State Commissioner for Lands, Surveys & Urban Development, Chief Emamusi Obiodeh.
According to the governor “from the records, the Archi-Delta Expo is an annual event by the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Delta State chapter where it presents impactful lectures in the building industry, innovative products exhibition and presentation of awards to deserving individuals, consultants, infrastructural companies and government.
“It is worrisome and I would like a professional body like the NIA to seize the opportunity of a gathering like this to critically examine the causes of such ugly events with a view to providing enduring solutions to end the unfortunate development (building collapse).
“I therefore task members of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) to critically examine causes of building collapse to prevent the disturbing development in the country”, he said.
As at the last count a total of eight workers were wounded and hospitalized.There is still controversy trailing the actual number while it is generally believed to be a 20-storey building another source close to Ogbechie the owner of the building is pegging the number at 7-storey.
