By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday signed an executive order giving legal backing to a tribunal of inquiry set up to probe the collapse of a 21-storey building on Gerard Road, Ikoyi.
The panel members were sworn in at the Five Cowries Boat Terminal of the Lagos State Water Authority (LASWA) on Falomo Road, Ikoyi.
The governor charged the panel, chaired by Mr Toyin Ayinde to do its job without fear or favour, adding that Lagosians and the country as a whole deserved to know what led to the incident and forestall future occurrences.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was at the site of the collapsed building on Wednesday, had vowed that the state government would not leave any stone unturned in investigating circumstances surrounding the collapse of the building.
Other members of the panel sworn in on Thursday are Akintilo Idris Adeleke, Yinka Ogundairo,
Godfrey C Godfrey, Mrs Bunmi Ibraheem, while Mrs Ekundayo Onajobi will serve as Secretary.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while noting that the inauguration of the panel was an indication that the state government was indeed prepared to unravel what had happened to serve as a lesson, said coming generations would not ‘forgive us if we do not do the right thing.’
‘Life is something that we need to continue to cherish. We can’t lose it in the shortest time even beyond our expectations. The constitution of this panel shows that we want to know what really happened so we can all learn and ensure we can live in a safe environment,’ the governor said.
He said members of the panel had 30 days turnaround time to complete its investigation but could request more time, adding that members of the panel had been carefully chosen because of the records.
‘No one can describe the pain families of the victims are going through. We believe justice will be done and lessons learned will be used to guard our path forward. The whole nation is watching,’ he said.
The chairman of the panel, in his vote of assurance, said this particular period was a sad moment for Lagos State, assuring that the panel would chart a new course with its report at the end of its sitting, even as he commiserated with the state government and families of the affected.
The governor, who left the venue for the collapsed building site on Gerrard Road, met and interacted with all the first responders to enable him to assess the extent of the rescue operation ongoing.
Addressing the media thereafter, Governor Sanwo-Olu said, come Friday, experts would be coming to conduct an integrity test on the two 15-storey buildings still standing on the site of the collapsed structure, declaring that nobody knew the structural integrity of the two buildings still standing.
‘Nobody knows the structural integrity of the two buildings still standing. Tomorrow, professionals are coming here to test the structural integrity of the two buildings still standing,’ he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the bodies of the dead would as from Friday be ready for release to their families for burial, as autopsies are being concluded.
The governor said the process was taking long because coronary inquisition, among other things, was being conducted, saying such could also reveal more information about a few of the affected.
The governor, who frowned at some of the negative reports on the collapsed building, said 32 bodies had so far been recovered from the rubble, adding that 19 missing people had been reported by families of those still looking for their loved ones following the opening of a register on Thursday.