IMSU BUILDING COLLAPSE: Nigeria Institute of Building Raises Red Flag

The Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Building, Imo State Chapter, Builder Dr. Andy Osuagwu has expressed great concern over the partial collapse of the faculty of Humanities Building at Imo State University, Owerri.

Addressing newsmen after the inspection of the collapse building with his team last week, Dr. Osuagwu advised that in order to avert any unpleasant consequences, that the building in question should not be in use until what he called “Integrity” is carried out in the remaining building.

The chairman blamed the contractors of the building for not exercising due diligence in the execution of the job.

Builder Dr. Osuagwu and his team inspecting the building

Dr. Osuagwu pointed out that his preliminary investigation reveal that proper reinforcement of concrete was not done, and iron bar sizes used were not in cohesion with the ones of the existing building.

He added that the collapse area was not in the original design of the building.

According to him ‘there was no proper anchorage and that the load was heavier than the columns amounting to an over load and subsequent collapse’.

In order to stem the tide of building collapse in the country, Dr. Osuagwu stressed that the builder should be made to sign an undertaking by the relevant government building plan approving body.

He also call on the Imo State House of Assembly to domesticate the National Building code in Imo State.

Dr. Osuagwu explained that the building code specifies responsibilities of various professionals in the built environment. He emphasized that only the professionally qualified builder should handle building projects. He noted that most buildings collapse because they did not engage the services of a builder.

The chairman strongly recommended that Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA should as a matter of urgency established a dedicated unit for building control and stated that present arrangement where the building control unit is under the architecture department is unwholesome and does not make for effective supervision of building projects.

He was accompanied on the inspection by Builders Innocent Onukogu, vice chairman,Vitalis Nlemuzo secretary respectively of the Imo State Chapter of Building (NIB) and Builder Dr. Emmanuel Nkeleme who represented Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON).

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Imo State University, Nze Ralph Njoku Obi confirmed the partial collapse.

He said that the collapsed portion were two link outside stair cases constructed for the ease of the movement of the lectures and students.

However, he regrettably noted that the collapse may have been what he called construction “defect”.

Nze Njoku Obi stated that presently the contractors are back to site and are working assiduously to remedy the defect.

He assured that the building is safe for use and thank God that there were no casualties.

The building is tagged TETFUND in 2017 Special High Impact Project and was commissioned in the year 2020.