By Simeon OSAJIE
A two-storey building under construction on Gospel Avenue, off Adesuwa Road, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, collapsed in the early hours of Thursday.
A resident, Jonathan Bitrus, told journalists that the structure caved in at about 2:00 a.m., attributing the collapse to a weak foundation that was incapable of supporting a two-storey building.
According to him, a major tragedy was averted because no workers were on site when the incident occurred.
“The building collapsed at about 2:00 a.m. or 2:15 a.m. on Thursday. I heard a loud bang, and when I came outside to see what had happened, I was shocked to discover that the entire building had collapsed,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, the Edo State Government condemned the use of substandard construction materials and ordered the immediate sealing of the property.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Vincent Uwadiae, who visited the site, warned developers against erecting buildings without obtaining the necessary approvals and using inferior materials.
Expressing relief that no lives were lost, Uwadiae said, “Let me first thank God that no worker was on site when the building collapsed. Had the incident occurred during working hours, the casualties could have been enormous.
“This building was not approved. There is no application before the ministry. How can someone erect a two-storey building without obtaining the required approval?
“We have continued to sensitise members of the public on the need to obtain building approvals so that developments can be properly monitored. Although we cannot be everywhere, residents should alert the ministry whenever they notice suspicious developments in their neighbourhoods.”
The commissioner said the building would remain sealed pending investigations, noting that the owner had yet to be identified.
“The owner is nowhere to be found, and there are no workers on site. The law will take its course, and appropriate action will be taken once the owner is identified,” he added.
Uwadiae further disclosed that preliminary inspections revealed that the reinforcement rods used in the construction were of poor quality and inadequate for a structure of that magnitude.
He warned that if the owner failed to appear before the authorities within the stipulated period, the government could take over the property in line with extant laws.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, Darlington Igabali, described the collapse as a preventable disaster.
“The administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has zero tolerance for irresponsible and substandard developments in the state,” he said.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the collapse resulted from the use of inferior materials. In addition, the building had no approval from the relevant authorities.”
The latest incident comes barely a week after a two-storey church building undergoing renovation along Palace Road, off Ogheghe Road on Upper Siluko Road in Egor Local Government Area, collapsed.
The church building also housed Faith Above Educational Academy.
The state government had repeatedly warned that some developers continue to ignore government directives by embarking on construction projects without approval.