Kano Collapsed Building Not Approved, Says Agency

Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) has declared that the collapsed three- storey building which claimed the lives of three residents and two others hospitalised at Kuntau community in Gwale local government area was not approved by the state government.

The managing director of KNUPDA, Ibrahim Yakub, in an audio message made available to newsmen by the spokesperson of the agency, Bahija Kabara, said the developer/owner of the structure didn’t show up even after they were served notices.

Yakub said the development control measures were given to him as well as notices inviting him for vetting of his drawing but there was no response up till February.
He said KNUPDA Law 2011 allows it to issue first to third notices to developers before demolition but the case at Kuntau community unfortunately happened before the agency’s action.

Yakub said, “We serve him with notice so that he can come to even vet the drawings but there was no response from them till February.

“Anyone found contravening the KNUPDA law section 11, 12, 13 in any form would attract a punishment clearly stated in section 15 which is facing a prison term of one year or a fine or both.”

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The managing director said a task force had been constituted to check all buildings without approval to checkmate building collapse in the state, pointing out that investigation has commenced and the developer would be interrogated in order to bring him to book.

While calling on the public to be law abiding by following due process to get their building plans approved before raising any structure, Yakub said the process has been made easier and faster through a one stop unit recently set up to respond to issuance of building permit within one or two weeks, a procedure he said that usually takes months before.
He, however, consoled the families of the victims over the irreparable loss and also prayed for the quick recovery of those hospitalised.