By Chukwuka Ugokwe
The Anambra State Government has announced plans to conduct structural integrity tests on commercial buildings in Amaokpala and Oko communities in Orumba North Local Government Area(LGA) following the collapse of a three-storey hostel in Amaokpala.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu, disclosed this on July 27, while addressing journalists at the scene of the incident.
He said the decision was prompted by the tragic collapse, which reportedly claimed the lives of an unspecified number of occupants, adding that the government is determined to prevent similar incidents.
According to the commissioner, preliminary findings indicate that the building suffered from structural defects, noting that the affected area has recorded several cases of building collapse in recent years, making comprehensive structural assessments necessary.
Barr. Ojukwu explained that property owners have a responsibility to report visible structural defects to the appropriate authorities for professional evaluation.
“Once the owner noticed structural defects, the proper step should have been to notify the relevant authorities for an integrity test,” he said.
He announced that all commercial buildings within the affected communities would undergo structural integrity tests at the owners’ expense. Any building found to be structurally unsafe would be demolished in the interest of public safety.
The commissioner disclosed that the state government would, henceforth, acquire any land on which a building collapses, urging developers, landlords and property owners to strictly comply with the state’s physical planning laws and building regulations to safeguard lives and property.
The government reiterated its commitment to enforcing building standards and strengthening regulatory oversight to prevent avoidable structural failures across the state.
Chukwuka Ugokwe is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
