Governor of Siminalayi Fubara has ordered the immediate closure of the site of a five-storey building that collapsed in Port Harcourt, resulting in the death of one person and leaving several others injured.
The governor issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection visit to the scene of the incident, vowing that the site would remain sealed pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Speaking after assessing the damage, Fubara described the tragedy as unfortunate and revealed that preliminary findings indicated that the developer had allegedly failed to comply with relevant building regulations and resisted efforts by state authorities to inspect the project during construction.
According to the governor, officials from the state government had made several attempts to monitor the project and ensure compliance with approved standards but were reportedly denied access by the developer, who claimed the property fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority.
“We are here to see for ourselves this very unfortunate incident. The information available to us suggests that government officials repeatedly visited the site during construction to assess compliance, but the developer insisted that the state had no authority to intervene,” Fubara said.
He noted that the issue had gone beyond questions of jurisdiction, stressing that the loss of life and injuries sustained by victims underscored the importance of strict adherence to building standards and safety regulations.
The governor extended condolences to the family of the deceased and sympathised with those injured in the incident, maintaining that the disaster could have been prevented if proper engineering practices and construction guidelines had been followed.
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Fubara lamented that such a structural failure occurred despite advances in modern engineering and construction technology, questioning the professional oversight behind the project.
He assured residents that the government would pursue a thorough investigation to determine the factors responsible for the collapse and ensure accountability.
“Nothing will happen on this site anymore. We are going to make sure that this place is completely sealed off until we get to the root cause of this incident,” the governor stated.
The governor was accompanied during the inspection 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.
Authorities are expected to commence a detailed probe into the incident as efforts continue to assess the full extent of the damage and identify those responsible.
