Building Collapse: FHA seals premises, orders investigation

Managing Director Federal Housing Authority, Prof._Mohammed Al-Amin

Managing Director Federal Housing Authority, Prof._Mohammed Al-Amin

Managing Director Federal Housing Authority, Prof._Mohammed Al-Amin
Managing Director Federal Housing Authority, Prof._Mohammed Al-Amin
Professor Mohammed Al-Amin, Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), says the authority has sealed the site of the collapsed building in Wupa District, Abuja, for proper investigation.

Al-Amin told newsmen in Abuja on Monday that the measure became necessary to ascertain the level of damage, the immediate and remote cause of the two-storey building collapse.

According to him, it will also enable the FHA to take steps to correct the mistakes that occur in the course of constructing the building and forestall future occurrence.

The two-storey building at 444 Crescent, Wupa District in the FCT, collapsed at about 1 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2016.

Al-Amin said the authority allocated and approved the plan for construction of a mall as an annex to a shopping mall and entertainment centre to a developer, Global Resources Ltd. in 2009.

He explained that early this year, the authority’s development control personnel noticed that work had commenced on the structure at the back of the mall which was not covered by earlier approval.

The FHA boss said that immediately the authority noticed it, three contravention notices were issued on the ill-fated structure.

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“The FHA was in consultation with the Development Control Department; Federal Capital Development Authority for its support in handling the contravention, a follow up meeting was scheduled before the structure came down.

“Demolition notice was issued to the developer by the authority on March 30, while in June; it wanted to demolish the structure but suspended it in a bid to collaborate with development control.

“FHA is working with relevant government agencies in the ongoing rescue operations,’’ he said.

He said that 10 workers were trapped in the building while nine others were rescued from the rubbles.

According to him, the nine people have been taken to hospital while effort is in progress to rescue the remaining ones.

Al-Amin said the authority had inaugurated a team of experts comprising of town planners, architects, builders, surveyors, among others to find out the causes of the building collapse to forestall future occurrence.

He said that severe sanction would be given to the developer including the engineers and whoever that had a hand in contravening the building law.

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