3rd September, 2023
By Funmilayo Okunade
Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has ordered strict supervision and certification of building construction by relevant government agencies to forestall future building collapse in the state.
Oyebanji, represented by Dep. Gov. Monisade Afuye, issued the order on Sunday during a visit to the scene of a building collapse in Ijero-Ekiti.
He also visited the victims of the incident, who were receiving medical treatment at the Ijero General Hospital, Ijero-Ekiti, where he sympathised with them.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that six persons sustained varying degrees of injuries, when an Event Centre building collapsed in Ijero-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area, on September 2.
The governor directed all the agencies of government to ensure that all the public buildings of that nature were properly supervised and certified at every stage to avoid unwarranted fatalities.
He expressed deep concern over the high degrees of injuries sustained by the victims.
Oyebanji said that the incident could have been averted, “if proper building scrutiny and compliance with specifications were carried out by government agencies.”
He, therefore, warned that situations like that should not be allowed to re-occur in the state.
He gave assurance that his government would initiate measures to make Emergency Management Equipment available in all the local government areas to respond to any emergency situation.
“Let me sympathise with the victims of this devastating incident. Nobody prays for bad thing to happen but we need to be proactive in preventing occurrences of this nature, rather than being reactive.
“I know that if the building had been thoroughly supervised and certified fit at every stage of the erection, this incident could have been averted.
“It is just normal and procedural that all public buildings be monitored to ensure they are built to specifications and with standard materials.
“This is because the common feature associated with building collapse now is the use of substandard materials by the building contractors.
“We thank God that no life was lost. But as a responsible government, we won’t wait until people died before taking actions that can safeguard their lives.
“That is why it is most expedient that all government agencies must be responsive to their duties at all times,” Oyebanji said.