From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA) has said that its insistence on adherence to standard building codes by developers and property owners is for public safety and the protection of lives and property.
The authority said that the measures taken and directives it issued are not meant to punish developers, but to help everyone in the society, by making every building safe, thereby benefitting owners and users.
The Director General of KASUPDA, Malam Isma’il Umaru Dikko stated this in a statement while reacting to the collapse of a building in Zaria that the authority had earlier marked as unsafe.
He recalled that when KASUPDA first issued an Abatement Notice and subsequently issued Quit Notice on the house located at Nagoyi area in Zaria city, some people reacted with insults against his officials.
Dikko explained that KASUPDA issued the Abatement Notice after its Department of Monitoring Compliance (DMC) had noticed some structural defects on the building, adding that following the refusal of the owners to comply, the authority had to issue a Quit Notice.
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According to the DG, the collapse of the building last week has led people around the neighbourhood “who had earlier insulted our staff to now turn around to praise KASUPDA for issuing the Quit Notice order.”
‘’While we commiserate with the victims, KASUPDA is once again appealing to property owners to ensure they get a building plan and all necessary documents before commencing any project,’’ he added.
The statement said that ‘’when KASUPDA issues an Abatement Notice or Quit Notice, it is because it has observed some defects on the building which it wants the owner, contractor or project manager to rectify, so as to avert building collapse or any mishap in the future.’’
The Director General said that KASUPDA officials are always ready to assist developers, contractors and prospective house-owners with technical advice, adding that ‘’we are here to serve the good people of Kaduna state, in line with His Excellency, Governor Nasir El Rufai’s vision of Making Kaduna State Great Again.’’