Ebonyi State government has resolved to engage the services of professional bodies in the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of building projects to prevent frequent building collapse.
The commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development, Mr. Sunday Inyima, said the professional bodies would include Town Planning Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), Estate Valuers and Surveyors and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria.
Inyima revealed this in Abakaliki after receiving the panel report on the partial collapse of Pentagon Hostel at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo.
He said the committee needed to be composed of relevant professionals and engage them in building structures to prevent building collapse.
The hostel, a two-storey building located opposite the front gate of the university, partially collapsed, which necessitated the investigation.
The commissioner, who commended the committee, said no life was lost in the incident.
“Let me, on behalf of the Ministry of Capital City Development and Urban Planning, thank the committee members for a comprehensive report delivered promptly.
“When this issue of building collapse occurred, we thought it necessary to institute this committee to look into the problem that led to this regrettable incident. Even though we didn’t lose any lives, the assets of our students were destroyed.
“We didn’t want to wait for another one to happen, but we wanted to see why we should do something to prevent this type of thing from happening. This is why we instituted your committee. And I am happy that today, you have come up with a report in this booklet that I’m holding in my hand,” he said.
He said the ministry would study it and present it to the governor for necessary action.
“The ministry and the government are going to look into it very well. I will take time after this meeting to study it, make an executive summary of this report and forward it to the governor, who incidentally is a builder. Then, the government will come up with a statement.
“The essence of bringing professionals together is to let you know that in subsequent approvals from this ministry, we will ensure that each of these relevant professional bodies is tied to any construction that would be executed,” he said.
