By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday declared that no stone will be left unturned in attempt to get what really went wrong at the collapsed 21-storey in Ikoyi.
The governor made the pledged on Wednesday while addressing the journalists at the scene of the incident .
Sanwo-Olu also set-up the Independent Panel of Inquiry and
gave the panel a 30-day deadline to submit the report of the findings of the cause(s) of the collapse.
He also said that an executive order would be signed to give legal backing to the Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the accident.
Members of the panel are Toyin Ayinde (Chairman); Ekundayo Onajobi (Secretary); Idris Akintilo; Yinka Ogundairo; Godfrey. O. Godfrey and Mrs Bunmi Ibrahim.
According to him, the terms of reference for the Independent Inquiry Panel will be to determine the causes of the collapse of the building under construction.
”Whether they were full compliance with physical planning and building material laws of the state, to determine whether there was any supervisory or oversight lapse on the part of regulatory authority in the state.
”The panel is to determine the number of casualty and fatalities, to examine any other matter incidental to any of the terms as stated above, and to make necessary recommendation to guard against the occurrence of such incidents in the state,” he said.
The governor assured that the law would take its full course on whoever was found culpable in the accident.
”It is on record that we asked the General Manager of the Building Control Agency, Architect Oki to proceed on an indefinite suspension.
”You can rest assured that if there are other people that are found in the course of the investigation, everybody will also face the full wrath of the law.
”So for us to get to the real issue of what had happened, I have set up a high powered commission of inquiry. It is a strong, professional, investigative panel that consists of everybody from outside of government.
”I will be signing an executive order to give legal backing to their composition, so that you can start work immediately and turn out a report not later than 30 days,” he said.
The state government also identified six out of the nine survivors from the rubbles in the Ikoyi building collapse.
They are Oduntan Timilehin (26); Ahmed Keleku (19, from Cotonou); Sunday Monday (21, suffered left leg fracture); Adeniran Mayowa (37, hip injury); Solagbade Nurudeen (33, pelvic injury); and Waliu Lateef (32).
Sanwo-Olu said that the bereaved families would be invited to identify their lived ones, latest by Thursday, after autopsy had been conducted on the bodies recovered.
He added that it was difficult to give an accurate number of workers on site when the accident happened because there was no manifest, and no one, whether the owner, staff, developer or contractor, has come up to provide such information.
“Not having a workers’ manifest clearly contravenes laws guiding construction works” , the governor said.
The governor urged people to visit the information desk set up on site to provide required information about their relatives working on the site. Information can also be gotten on www.lagosmind.org/help or a mail sent to [email protected]. The dedicated line to seek psycho-social support is 09090006463.
He said: “Let me first start by expressing my deepest condolences to families and loved ones of people who might have been in this very unfortunate tragic, monumental national loss. This situation can be described as a clear national disaster. Indeed mistakes were made from all angles, and this should not be happening in a modern city like Lagos.
“I also thank and commend all the first responders, the very gallant men and women who have been here for almost two days and working to rescue as many as possible. It has been a very difficult journey for them; we appreciate their work and will continue to ensure that whatever needs to be done to get to the root cause of this will certainly be done.
“I had to cut short my journey to Rome for the G20 Summit and the COP 26 Climate Change Conference in Scotland and I visited this site straight from the airport last night.
” It is also on record that we have asked the general manager of the building control agency (LASBCA) Gbolahan Oki to proceed on an indefinite suspension because we have to take responsibility from the head. Be rest assured that if there are others found in the course of investigation, they will also face the full wrath of the law.
“I have set up a high powered commission of enquiry, it is a strong professional investigative panel consisting of everybody from outside of government. The panel has 30 days to work and report back to us.
“I’ll be signing an executive order to give legal backing to their composition so they can stay work immediately and turn out a report not later than 30 days.”
The governor also confirmed that approval was given for 21-storey building.