Building collapse in Enugu, Nigeria: four fatalities

Tragedy struck in Enugu on Friday night when four children from the same family lost their lives due to the collapse of a building. The building was located in Agric Quarters, Mgbemena, Coal Camp, Enugu North Local Council. Mr. Uche Anya, the Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA), personally inspected the site of the incident and confirmed that this structure was originally approved for animal husbandry. Shockingly, despite being clearly inappropriate for human living conditions, the structure contained 44 rooms, all of which were in use, because it had been illegally converted for residential use.

Anya expressed the agency's swift response to the incident and criticized the irresponsible construction practices that allowed this tragedy to occur. Although the structure's occupants had initially claimed it was for animal husbandry, it became apparent that over 200 people were living in these cramped quarters, with unacceptable fencing. Anya also underscored the agency's commitment to raising public awareness about the importance of residing in safe and conducive environments to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Meanwhile, at a Business Day Conference in Lagos themed "Addressing the Challenges of Building Collapse in Nigeria," Gbolahan Owodunmi Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), linked the recurring problem of building collapses in the country to attitudinal issues and a lack of maintenance culture. Oki pledged that efforts would be made to minimize such incidents. Furthermore, he expressed concern about the prevalence of unqualified people in the construction industry and the low number of registered architects. Oki stressed the vital role played by professionals in ensuring construction safety and urged increased vigilance, the use of appropriate building materials, and thorough documentation of all personnel involved in construction projects. He called for collaboration among professional bodies and stakeholders to collectively address this pressing issue and urged the registration of deserving practitioners to promote professionalism.