PH Collapsed building: Commission issues bench warrant on architect, orders his arrest

Tina Amanda

Professionals in the fields of Geology, Engineering Quantity Surveying and Architecture have testified before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the immediate causes for the collapse of the seven Storey building under construction at Number 119 Woji Road, Plot 80 GRA Phase 2, Port-Harcourt.

The experts in their various fields testified to the panel led by Justice Adolphus Enebeli based on their memorandum submitted to the commission on what may have been responsible for the collapse of the building.

The Vice-President, Nigeria Association for Engineering Geology and Environment, Professor Tamunoene Abam Kingdom, told the commission that the collapse would have been prevented if the services of professionals were used from the foundation of the building, adding that investors should rely on professional developers.

Professor King Yenke, Member of Nigeria Institute of quantity surveyors and Lecturer in Department of quantity Survey at the Rivers State University told the panel that the collapse may have occurred due to the lack of redundancy plan, adding that cheap labour, material and structural failures can lead to the collapse of a building.

He presented a sample of 3/8 chipping gotten from the collapsed building site to the commission, which he said is grossly inadequate for the construction of buildings of such height.

Also testifying, Chairman Nigeria Association of Architects Rivers state chapter and a Consultant Architect, Architect Asomba Egbuonu, said the person who designed the collapsed building, one Timiebi Reuben, was not an architect or a professional, but a trainee as at 2013 when the building was designed.

On her part, Rivers state Representative of Town Planning Registration Council of Nigeria, Professor Owei Opiopene, said the cause of the collapse is the use of non-professionals who are trained and recognised by law to monitor and enforce the planning of the building.

She further stressed that the state government should implement the law and bring in urban renewal agencies and set up a technical committee to look into the operatives of Rivers state physical development plan.

A representative of Nigeria Society of Engineers, Engineer Basoene Benebo, said structural engineers are the providers of strength to a building, stressing that the strength provided by an engineer should be supervised by another engineer.

He wondered why a seven-story building was going on without a tower crane at the site.

Chairman of the commission Justice Adolphus Enebeli issued a bench warrant on one Architect Nimiye Pere Dick, who have refused the summon by the commission. Justice Enebeli ordered his arrest and to be brought to the panel on 5th January.