Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the complete closure of the site of a five-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, killing one person and injuring several others.

The governor, who visited the scene on Thursday to assess the situation, said the site would remain sealed pending the outcome of a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, Fubara disclosed that preliminary findings indicated that the developer had repeatedly resisted inspection by relevant state authorities and failed to comply with established building regulations.

The governor, accompanied by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Amairigha Edward Hart, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties, Dabite Sokari George, explained that he delayed his visit until he received a formal briefing from the relevant government agencies.

“We are here to see for ourselves this very unfortunate incident. I did not come yesterday because I wanted to first receive a report. The commissioner informed me that the site, contrary to the developer’s claim, falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority.

“He also informed me that officials visited the site several times during construction to monitor compliance and inspect ongoing work. Unfortunately, the developer consistently maintained that the state government had no authority to interfere,” Fubara said.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor stressed that the focus was no longer on issues of jurisdiction but on the loss of life and the impact of the tragedy on affected families.

He extended condolences to the families of the victims and maintained that the disaster could have been avoided had the developer adhered to approved engineering standards and construction guidelines.

“We feel very sorry and deeply regret that such an incident should occur in the 21st century, when technology and engineering practices have advanced significantly. I wonder what kind of engineer would allow a project with such fundamental flaws to continue from inception.

“Nothing is going to happen on this site anymore. We will ensure that it remains completely sealed until we determine the root cause of this incident,” the governor stated. (The Guardian)

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