By Tanimu Muhammad
The Federal Capital Territory Administration(FCTA), has vowed to prosecute the developer and revoke the title for the property that collapsed on Friday morning, killing a middle aged man in Dawaki, Abuja.
Acting Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Abdulhamid Sulaiman Sunday, explained the position of the Administration while speaking to journalists during a visit to the scene of the incidence.
Describing the incidence as “Very painful and unfortunate”, Sulaiman insisted that “The developer and his co-conspirators will be punished. I assure you, the FCTA is not going to tolerate it. They will be brought to book and we will recommend for possible revocation of this plot.”
He regretted that even though necessary preventive measures, including service of stop work notice by the department of Development Control at the commencement of the construction, the developer “ignored it and continued to do this type of construction under lawlessness and impunity, and the result is this disaster.”
According to him, prosecution of the developer and revocation of the plot would also “serve as a warning to other developers in the city, adding that “we have directed Development Control to institute, strictly, their procedure: any developer issued stop work order that refuses to abide by it, we will withdraw his building plan and approval, and possibly recommend, also for the withdrawal of the title of the land.
“We have also directed the Legal Department to commence the process of prosecuting those who are responsible for this terrible offence.”
Speaking earlier, Director General, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Abbas Idriss revealed that there were 10 persons in the building when the collapse occurred but while nine were safely recovered and rescued, “Unfortunately, we recorded one fatality and he was taken by the family to the hospital.”
Speaking on steps taken to prevent the collapse, Director, department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima dismissed allegations of being reactive instead of proactive, revealing that prior to the incidence, his department organized a stakeholders’ meeting to “strategise On ways and means of averting incidences of structural failure.”
Corroborating Sulaiman, Galadima further disclosed that a “stop work” notice was served on the collapsed structure on 17th of July, 2020 when the developer embarked on the modification of the bungalow without securing appropriate approval, but he did not heed the orders.
According to Galadima, the developer “took advantage of the break period during the weekend, commenced work and the result of noncompliance with notice is this unfortunate incidence that occured yesterday.
“It is really unfortunate that we are recording building collapse during this critical period in our nation’s history. That’s why we try as much as possible to see what we can do, in collaboration with other stakeholders to avert building collapse.”
Also speaking at scene, Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Baba Shehu Lawan specifically on the Gwagwalada flood, urged residents to stop dumping refuse into drainages as it was such practice that blocked the drainages and resulted in floodings that are rampant in the FCT.
He further warned against indiscriminate felling of trees by residents and developers for development purposes, explaining that the trees serve as vegetation cover and protect the soil and control.