From Joe Effiong, Uyo

A four-storey building with two swimming pools on the third floor has collapsed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, killing two people and injuring several others.

It is the second building to have collapsed in Uyo in the last seven years, after the Reigners Church building collapsed and killed more than 30 people.

The latest incident occurred last Saturday evening. The  building sited at No. 7, Iman Street was surprisingly said to be a hotel, even as its location in the seeming ghetto and inner city of the town makes such a claim incredible.

Chrstopher Uto, who lives near the collapsed structure, told Daily Sun that the incident occurred about 5.30pm on Saturday. He said the building was almost completed when it collapsed.

The Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, who visited the scene yesterday, to sympathise with the families of the departed, was however, disappointed that either of them, the engineers handling the project, nor any of the relations of the owner of the property, said to be based abroad was on site.

Ekpo, while expressing his condolences to the affected families, emphasised that a panel would be set up to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the collapse.

“We don’t know the family that has lost people. I use this opportunity to pay the governor’s condolences to that family and to give his assurance that the government would investigate this matter till the root of it.

“We want to know exactly what happened. Was this building approved? If it was approved, what was the approval? What happened?  I want to say to families who have lost their loved ones, the people of this area and the entire people of Uyo, that the souls of the departed rest in peace. But government would investigate this matter till the bottom of it. And if there are culprits, they will be apprehended and dealt with, because there are building laws. If laws were infringed, it is going to be possible that this is what led to what is happening here.”

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When told that nothing may happen to deter future occurrences, the deputy governor said: “We don’t know the owner of the building. We want to find out from the owner; ‘were you given an approval and what was the approval for.’  We want to know if approval was not given by the government and if it was given, did they keep to the terms of the approval. So nothing will happen until people come out and claim responsibilities.

“We want to know the personalities involved and talk with them to find out what happened. It is not a social media matter. It is not hearsay. We need to see them. This government is not an earmark, but an eye-mark.” Ekpo said.

The South-South Zonal co-ordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Godwin Tepicor, said when he heard about the incident by 7pm on Saturday, he mobilised relevant stakeholders like the police, state emergency management agency, the FRSC, Civil Defence and fire service to the site.

He said that, so far, only two people have been confirmed dead; the one who died on Saturday due to multiple injuries and the other one whose remains were recovered from the debris yesterday morning.

Asked what should be done to curb the incidences of building collapse in Nigeria, Tepicor said: “In my own judgement, I think we should enhance enforcement. It is possible that the building got approval; it is also possible that the terms of the approval were not followed. Substandard materials could have been used.

Enforcement of building codes would stem the tide where relevant ministries like ministry of works makes sure that periodically, any building that has been given approval, its developer builds according to the building code or regulations.”

Daily Sun learned that the dead body recovered yesterday was that of Obinna Chieke, a 20-year-old mechanic apprentice from Ikwuano LGA of Abia State. His elder brother, Favour Chieke, told Daily Sun that Obinna was residing in the building.

“We live inside the building. He was not one of the workers. He is dead. The body is in the mortuary. I have informed the family. My father is even around, only that I don’t want him to come out,” Favour lamented.