Another 5 Storey Building Collapses in Onitsha

…as Governor Obiano Bans Erection of 5 Storey Building in The State

Less than three weeks after an uncompleted four storey building belonging to the Anglican church collapsed in Onitsha, Anambra state, killing some people, another ongoing five storey in the city on Saturday went down.

The disaster occurred at Udi Street Fegge in Onitsha South Local Government Area of the State.

A source told African Examiner that the collapsed 5-storey building was almost at its 95% completion stage before it went down.

Apart from one labourer who was seriously injured, no life was lost in the incident, the source said.

Worried by the ugly development, the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has banned the erection of five storey building in the State.

The decision according to the state chief executive, was to cheek the recklessness and the use of substandard building materials by contractors.

Speaking during a visited to the scene of the incident Saturday, Obiano, who frowned at the incessant cases of building collapse in Onitsha, cautioned contractors in the state on the use of substandard building materials.

The Governor warned that hence forth, any person who dares to build any house above two storey building in any part of the state without approval from the appropriate quarter will be visited with the full weight of the law.

He promised to construct the road registered as Udi Street, just as he assured residents of the area that government would soon provide them with electricity transformer.

The state sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC Mr. H.U Omeje described the incident as a colossal lost to the owner of the house and government of the state considering the bad image the disaster had brought to the state.

Also speaking, the Divisional Police Officer DPO in charge of Fegge Police Division, Mr. Rabiu Gabba, said his office got wind of the incident at about 6:00pm on Saturday.

He confirmed that no life was lost; adding that it was one labourer that sustained injury during the ugly incident.