Unapproved plan, quackery led to Delta building collapse – Commissioner

The Delta State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Renewal, Mr Michael Anoka has disclosed that the collapsed two-storey building has no approved building plan.

The Commissioner also identified sub-standard material and the use of quackery as the site engineer led to the collapse of the building.

A two-story building under construction opposite the Airport Police station, Asaba International Airport Okpanam, had on Thursday evening collapsed

Though, no lives were lost during the incident while some persons were said to have been trapped but later rescued.

However, the Commissioner who visited the scene of the incident on Friday, noted that the owner of the building was earlier warned as without approved development plans in accordance with the law.

He said, “We visited the site along with the other management team of the Ministry to carry out on-the-spot assessment and it’s to our dismay that the developer did not comply with extant rules and regulations guiding development in the State.

“The building under construction has no approved building plan and all necessary stop work notices were issued to the developer and the site sealed. They clandestinely resumed work recently.

“It was also discovered that sub-standard building materials were used in the construction.”

The Anoka stated further that the ministry had introduced a digitalised system that will be used for all policy plans/large developments, warning developers to desist in shape practice even as he said the law will catch up with them.

He noted that the system will enable the ministry to track each development plan approved to a specific location and Area Planning officers/Zonal Planning officers responsible, hence eliminating forgery, illegal development and also monitoring, evaluating, averting disasters and other environmental mishaps and hazards in the built up environment in the state.