About 100 occupants of a three-storey building rented out as hostel to students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, have been evacuated following serious structural defects observed in the building.
The building has also been sealed off by the Anambra State Government, through the State Physical Planning Board, ANSPPB.
The hostel known as Devora hostel, is located at Igbariam, the host community to the State University.
TNC correspondent who visited the building reports that there were massive cracks from the foundations of the building up to its pillars.
The occupants of the building had informed the management of the state-owned university of the development, and the University management in turn informed the state government.
Immediately, the government had intervened and evacuated the students, who would have been casualties of the collapsing structure.
Speaking to our correspondent after he inspected the building, the Chairman of the State Physical Planning Board, Barr Chike Maduekwe said the builder has been mandated to proceed to the state materials testing lab to ascertain the structural integrity of the building.
According to him, government had to intervene immediately to prevent any loss of human life.
“The building has been sealed off by staff of the Board and nobody is living there now.
“We have directed the engineer handling the project to proceed immediately to the materials testing lab to conduct several mandatory tests they must do before Tuesday,” he said.
Maduekwe however said before staff of the board will visit the site, the developer must ensure that the building is supported by steel props, to allow technical staff from the materials testing lab to enter the building safely.
Listing the tests to be run on the structure, Maduekwe said the outcome will determine whether the building will be allowed to stand or be brought down.
“Tests to be run include geotecnical test for sub-soil and foundation, structural integrity test (non-destructive), structural frame analysis, with a view to checking the existing frame sustainability.
“We have asked the engineer to ensure that the tests are conducted immediately and that will determine whether the building stay or not,” the ANSPPB boss said.
He commended the management of the University, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Greg Nwakoby, for their prompt response to the matter, enabling the government to intervene urgently.
Maduekwe further assured parents of students in the university and the general public that the government is on top of the situation and will make sure the matter is resolved the way it should.
He also emphasized the need for developers to always engage the services of certified engineers and ensure that they adhere strictly to building codes in their structural developments.
He posited; “It is obvious that if the Physical Planning Board was fully involved in the development of this structure, we may not be at this point today.
“The agency is open to all developers to access and we will continue to provide the required guidance for all developers who want to do the right things.
“It suffices nothing to have your structure collapse after investing huge sums of money just because you did not adhere to simple building rules.
“We await the final results of the tests from the lab but until then, nobody is allowed to enter the structure.”
