TWO STOREY BUILDING COLLAPSES IN ANAMBRA

Reporter : UCHE NDEKE

A two storey building has collapsed at Amawbia bypass, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The incident happened about 11pm Wednesday evening while residents of the area were still asleep.

Apart from being a residential home, the building has some shops.

One of the eye witnesses and occupant, Mr. Augustine Ikeji, told Radio Nigeria that it was raining when thunder stroke and the building collapsed.

According to Mr. Ikeji, the debris fell on him and four of his children, who were sleeping in the room close to the collapsed portion, destroying his wares as well as inflicting degrees of injuries on the Children who were later rushed to the hospital.

“We were sleeping when the building collapsed on top of me, my wife and children, it destroyed my property and injured my children.

“I need government to come and help me , I am from Nise but live as a tenant here,” he cried out.

Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, claimed the collapse was as a result of use of inferior building materials by the developer.

In an interview shortly after sealing the premises, the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, (ACTDA), the Venerable Amaechi Okwuosa, explained that though the owner might have gotten approval more than fifteen years ago, the structure was substandard and did not meet the building standards.

He noted that despite effort by the agency to make the owner to stop work, he went ahead to build at night with substandard materials, which led to the total collapse.

The Venerable Okwuosa admonished developers to desist from building without necessary approvals from relevant government agencies.

“It’s an unfortunate incident, the owner of the building was building with unapproved materials.

My staff noted the irregularities and served them papers to stop work, but he went ahead to build at night,” Mr. Okwuosa stated.

Radio Nigeria Correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident, reports that the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, Director announced that the owner of the collapsed structure would forfeit the land in line with the existing law in Anambra State.

The law provides that when any building collapses, the developer will lose the land to government.