TheCable

Two buildings under construction have collapsed in Imo.

The buildings located in Emekuku, Owerri north LGA, and old market road, Owerri municipal LGA, were said to have collapsed on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Francis Chukwu, general manager of Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), who visited the locations, said the agency during routine operational activities had ordered further construction work on the buildings to stop after it discovered a “structural inadequacy” in the structures.

“The determination and uncompromising position of the state through its development control agency, the OCDA, towards the enforcement of standards in the building construction manifested on Friday when these two separate buildings collapsed,” he said.

“The two ongoing buildings, I can tell you, were stopped by OCDA sometimes in November, 2022. This was due to some structural inadequacy discovered by this authority. Today, the buildings have collapsed. That is what we are hammering on.”

He said the agency will continue to ensure zero tolerance for the use of substandard materials in building construction.

Chukwu advised developers to employ the services of professionals in construction to avoid regular occurrences of building collapse.

He said no life was lost during the incident, adding that no worker was at the two construction sites when they caved in.