Three-storey building collapses in Enugu

A three storey building with a pent house on Saturday collapsed in Enugu.
The State government through its commissioners for lands and the Enugu Capital Development Authority, Dr. Emeka Ujam and Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede announced the revocation of the land when they visited the site.The building said to be owned by a Southern African based businessman, caved in at about 6.40 am.
Work on the collapsed building situated at plot 16 Nnobi street, Uwani Enugu was said to have been stopped since early last year for an undisclosed reason.

As at the time of filing this report, bulldozers from from he Arab Contractors Construction Company and men of the state Fire Service were clearing the debris in search of casualties if any.
The commissioner for Lands, Emeka Ujam told reporters at the site that government was fully aware that the building was not approved and had severally warned the owner and the builders to stop work.
According to the commissioner, the ministry’s field men discovered that the building was defective and the foundation could not carry a 3-storey structure, and henc promptly stopped work on the site.
But the builders, he said, clandestinely continued work and brought it up to the level that led to its collapse.
“This has exonerated us because when we tell them to build according government specifications, they will think we are out to victimize them,” posited Ujam.
Ujam said apart from revoking the land, government would arrest and prosecute all those involved in the continuation of the building by defying its orders.
The commissioner for Enugu Capital Development Authority, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede also told reporters that the owner and builders did not conform with government specifications, “and now this the result.”
Ugwuegede said they exceeded the height for the foundation and announced that henceforth, the government would tighten up the construction processes of buildings.
While regretting that the collapse was the first to occur in Enugu for a very long time, Ugwuegede stressed that henceforth, buildings with up to two floors would now have construction project sign boards mounted at the site during construction.
“this is to allow the public and the authorities know the designers, engineers, contractors and others involved in the construction and hold them liable immediately in the event of this type of incidence,” Ugwuegede explained.