In a proactive move to save lives and property, the Abia State Government on Saturday demolished a two-story building in Umuahia.
The demolition of the building located at 5 Akanu Street (opposite FCMB, near Government House) in Umuahia followed alarms raised by occupants, who hurriedly evacuated the building on their own accord after visible defects were noticed on the structure sandwiched between two other buildings.
As a result, a rapid response team, comprising the Ministries of Lands and Housing; Power & Public Utilities; Works; and also the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), the Nigerian Police Force, the Abia State Fire Service, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and the Nigerian Society of Engineers, was detailed to bring down the structurally defective building
Addressing newsmen shortly after, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr Chaka Chukwumerije, noted that the primary objective of the exercise was to save lives, stating that the site was quickly cordoned off by UCDA, the road blocked by the fire service, and everyone in the surrounding area evacuated by the Nigerian Police to preserve public safety and ensure that no casualties were recorded.
“The initial efforts to strip the building block by block to preserve the surrounding structures were deemed unsafe and quickly replaced by a swift demolishment of the building while minimising the damage to surrounding structures,” the Commissioner said.
Speaking also, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, who affirmed that the present administration in the state believes in due process, thanked God that no life was lost, even as he enjoined builders to always engage the services of professionals.
The General Manager of the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Kenneth Agomoh, reiterated the Governor Alex Otti administration’s commitment to restore the integrity and sanity of buildings in the state and encouraged the public to come forward with any information relating to defective structures, adding that going forward, the UCDA will be proactive in checking illegal structures.
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