THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that the allocation for a building which collapsed in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja would be revoked.
This was disclosed in a statement jointly released by the FCTA and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on Tuesday, February 7.
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Officials of both organisations had met on Monday February 6, during which a report by the FHA on the circumstances resulting in the collapse was presented to the FCT minister.
According to the statement, three people died as a result of the building collapse. A technical team has been set up by the FCT and FHA to conduct investigations based on the report.
“The meeting resolved that the investigation by the technical team is also aimed at strengthening the internal working mechanism of both agencies and that all those found culpable in the building collapse will face appropriate punishment commiserate with the crime committed.
“The FCT Minister announced that in line with FCTA policy, the allocation of the collapsed building be revoked,” the statement read.
Commiserating with families of the deceased, Bello and the FHA Chairman Lawal Shuaibu, noted that compensation will be provided.
“The meeting also commended the various agencies involved in the rescue efforts that saved 21 lives and stressed the need for cases of contraventions to go beyond mere issuance of “stop work” notices.
“Both organisations resolved to work very closely together to prevent any future occurrence,” the statement added.
On Thursday February 2, a three-storey building still under construction has collapsed in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Several security agencies had arrived the scene for rescue operations, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Nigerian Police Force (NPF) among others.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.