Fubara Seals Off Collapsed Building Site In Port Harcourt, Pledges Full Investigation
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Itode Akari
PORT HARCOURT — Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the immediate closure and complete sealing of the site of a five-storey building that collapsed in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, killing one person and leaving several others injured.
The governor issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection visit to the scene of the disaster, declaring that the premises shut until the government concludes a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Fubara in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary Onwuka Nzeshi, described the incident as tragic and avoidable, stressing that preliminary findings indicated that the developer repeatedly resisted attempts by state authorities to inspect the project and ensure compliance with approved building standards and regulations.
Accompanied by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sir Amairigha Edward Hart, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Dabite Sokari George, Fubara explained that he delayed his visit to the site in order to receive a formal briefing from relevant government agencies.
According to him, the Commissioner had informed him that the developer had consistently maintained that the project was outside the jurisdiction of the Rivers State Government, claiming it fell under the authority of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
“He also informed me that when the project was ongoing, officials came here several times to inspect what was happening and assess the level of compliance.
“Unfortunately, the developer kept insisting that the state government had no right to interfere,” Fubara stated.
The governor said the focus was no longer on jurisdictional disputes but on the loss of life and the suffering inflicted on victims and their families.
He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery, noting that adherence to established engineering and construction standards could have prevented the tragedy.
Fubara assured residents that the state government would carry out a thorough investigation and take appropriate action based on its findings, while reiterating his administration’s commitment to enforcing building regulations to safeguard lives and property across the state.
“We feel very sorry and very regretful that such an incident should be happening in this 21st century. 21st century because technology has advanced, engineering has developed. I wonder what kind of engineer would even allow this kind of project to go on when everything about it from inception has been faulty.
“I think that at this point,nothing is going to happen on this site any more. We are going to make sure that this place is completely sealed off until we get to the root cause of this incident,” Governor Fubara stated.
