FCTA Consults  with experts over building collapse, undeveloped plots 

Favour Ishember, Abuja

Following the unfortunate incident that happened in Garki village, where a two-storey building collapsed, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it will conduct integrity tests on old buildings within the city to forestall reoccurrence.

Meeting with experts in the building sector to address cases of building collapse, undeveloped plots and abandoned structures, the Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima said ,working with professionals outside the Department would help strengthen supervision.

“We are going to make it a continuous engagements, discussion and supervision. It will help us share responsibility as well as functionality”

Galadima disclosed that the committee which will soon be constituted will also examine issues surrounding abandoned structures and undeveloped plots and come up with solutions.

In the words of the Director: “As a responsible organisation we have to be proactive in addressing the cases of building collapse, we have to work with professional bodies that are regulating agencies.

“We are exchanging views on how to stop the menace of building collapse in the Federal Capital Territory.

“The meeting will help us to constitute a committee that will be making suggestions on tackling the issues, even in the past but this time around we are going to expand it.

The director, however, said not every building that failed the integrity test would be demolished.

He said that sometimes the consultants would give room for remedial measures for the building to stand.

Galadima  emphasised that structures that failed integrity tests and beyond remedy will be removed.

He urged people to comply with building regulations as provided by relevant acts and laws.

On the buildings located on Plot 643 Cadastral Zone Bo4, Jabi District, he said that the integrity test revealed that the building may collapse.

He said after the failed test, the occupants of the four single-storey buildings on the plot were asked to vacate the buildings for their safety but refused to do so.

“It is disturbing that in spite professional warnings, the people are still occupying the house, even going further to obtain an order of the Court to stop us from vacating them.

“Our concern is the safety of the individual and their properties that is why we are calling on the public to desist from such acts.

“Once a structure has been tested and confirmed to be deficient, people should comply and vacate the structure because anything can happen,” he said.

On the court order, Galadima said the department would consult the legal secretariat to decide on the next line of action.

During a visit to the affected buildings, Mr Abdulrazak Alao, Deputy Director, Building Inspectorate, North, said that the occupants were served a vacation notice on Aug. 21.

“We also invited them for a stakeholders` meeting to carry them along in the entire process but they refused to cooperate with us.

“Only for us to get here today (Thursday) and saw a Court Order pasted on the gate of the house, restraining us from carrying further action.

“We have carried out a scientific investigation called the Smith harmer test that indicated that the building is weak and could collapse.

“The buildings have decayed, soaked and weak. I want it to be on record that the building is very unfit for human habitation and might collapse any day,” he said.

Mr Mustapha Suleiman, one of the occupants of the buildings, appealed for the meeting to be rescheduled to Friday and it was granted.