The State Government has ordered the seal of the premises where two storey building under construction collapsed in Umuoma Nekede Owerri West local government area, because of alleged use of substandard materials.
The State Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere gave the order recently when he led a team of Government Officials to the collapsed building, to ascertain the extent the extent of damage and effect. The State Government also directed that the contractor and the owner of the premises be arrested immediately, as a committee has been set up to know the immediate and remote causes of the collapsed building.
Imo Deputy Governor regretted the death of one man (name withheld) whose death occurred as a result of the collapsed building.
Prince Madumere stressed that hence forth, the Community Government Council Officials should ensure that any building being constructed in their communities follow the approved and certified engineering plan from the professionals and other agencies whose job it is to handle.
The Deputy Governor decried a situation where such building is being constructed with cheap materials which have done more harm than good by claiming the life of one of the workers adding that the State Govt. will not tolerate such carefree attitude either by contractors or owners of contracts.
In response, the Traditional Prime Minister of Umuoma Nekede, Nze Obinna Aharanwa expressed gratitude to the State Government for the quick response to the problem and promised that they will leave up to expectations.
The President-General Umuoma Nekede, Chief Ernest Onyeneke said that efforts by the community to see the owner or the contractor of the building proved abortive and thanked the state government for the intervention.
It will be recalled that Imo State government recently sought for a closer relationship with COREN and other related agencies of the government to ensure that competent hands are involved in structures to maintain the highest level of standard in the practice of engineering.
