The Nigeria Institute of Building Anambra State Chapter has condemned the structural defect of the two-story building collapse at Ochanja Market Onitsha.
The chairman Nigeria Institute of Building Anambra State Chapter, Mr Kingsley Nweke stated this when the members of the Institute went on a feasibility study on the collapsed building at Ochanja Market Onitsha.
He noted that the building lacks a lot of professional touch with wrong placement of materials.
Mr Nweke noted the need to seal the second two story building close to the collapsed one which is still under construction saying that it has been affected by the resonance and vibration from the ground during the collapsing process.
Lamenting the ugly incident, the Onitsha South Secretary General, Mr Paul Onuachala who said they are in mourning mood, stated that they started rescue operations as soon as the incident occurred on Monday evening, mobilizing excavators to the site, through their emergency and health department and were able to rescue at least five victims who are receiving treatment at the hospital at their expense.
He noted that a seven-man committee which included the Council Town Engineers has been constituted to look into what transpired and recommend ways to prevent future occurrence.
On the second building, the Onitsha South Local Government Secretary Mr Paul Onuachala said they are adhering to the Governor ‘s instruction on removal of the building as soon as they were done with evacuation of the collapsed debris.
Dr. Ifeanyi Anyanechi, a member of the Nigeria Institute of Building Anambra State Chapter observed the major cause of the collapse was hurried construction and bad workmanship.
He noted that the contractor did not allow the concrete to mature before imposing another material on top of it as well as lack of correct links at the appropriate centres.
On their part, Mr. Ikenna Okpala the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Institute of Building Anambra State Chapter, and Mr Chijioke Okeke Chairman of private sector Anambra Chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Building said that the standardization structure in building construction is a process where every profession in the building environment is involved and each plays its role, saying that if implemented there will be no building collapse in the Country.
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