•As IMHA Charges OCDA, Others On Professionalism
By Onyekachi Eze
Geared towards ensuring the safety of lives and property through quality structural buildings in the State, the Imo State House of Assembly has charged the Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, and other relevant agencies on professional conduct.
The call was drawn from a motion by the Honorable Member representing Oguta State Constituency, Hon. Engr. Gilbert Chiedozie Nwosu FNSE during Wednesday, November 27, 2024 plenary session.
Nwosu in the motion remarked that recently, there were cases of collapsed buildings in the State and other States of the federation.
He added that it was a wake up call to OCDA to checkmate structural defects, and for them to adequately set up building control.
The Lawmaker also suggested that OCDA and other relevant government agencies should checkmate the Curriculum Vitae, CVs, of personnel that would carryout the construction jobs for the purpose of maintaining standard projects that won’t pose as threat to human lives.
Furthermore, Nwosu averred that through OCDA, there is every need to request for environmental impact assessment, to be followed up by regular monitoring at the construction stage.
“The need for this is to make sure that what was approved are delivered without mitigation. For instance, People might take approval to construct a story building and later embark on 5 without reverting back to OCDA. These are what the agency should be checkmated often without bias. They should not condone compromise in standard jobs”.
Further advising, Hon. Gilbert Nwosu said, the Ministries of Housing and Works and the OCDA ought to set up taskforce to checkmate and regulate old buildings and enforce renovations to avoid loss of life and property.
He said, “As a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, I should advise the government on what is best to ensuring solid construction and structures. All these are essential and should not be neglected”.
However, Nwosu expressed optimism that through the resolution, the State Government and OCDA will work towards fighting every loopholes in a bid to get rid of quacks and inferior/substandard buildings.
The Oguta Lawmaker earlier posited, “Whereas His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, GSSRS, in his pledge to return Imo State to its lost glory is engaging in massive urban infrastructural renewal and constructing new ones;
“Observing that many buildings and structures across the three senatorial zones of Imo State have collapsed and some are at the verge of collapsing;
“Noting that the buildings at the verge of collapsing are due to failing infrastructural tests, faulty construction, faulty design, foundation failures, poor maintenance, etc.; and poses imminent danger to the lives and safety of the occupants and the public;
“Conscious of the lives and safety of the people of Imo State, some buildings in the State needs urgent infrastructure re-engineering and conformity to safety standards to prevent future collapse of buildings in the State”.
The Honorable Members exhibited high sense of commitment to the motion by proferring more suggestions to a sustainable structural rigidity and ways to avert such building collapse.
With the overwhelming supports from members, the House resolved as follows;
“To urge the governor to direct Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Works, Owerri Capital Development Authority and any other relevant Agency to –
a.) ensure compliance with safety standards by developing and executing programme to guide reinforcement and renovation of identified buildings and in public interest, to recommend for demolition, any weak building likely to cause harm to human lives; and
b.) establish a framework for constant monitoring of both old and new buildings in Imo State to ensure compliance with safety standards and laid down specifications.
The motion was co-sponsored by Honorables; James Esile, Ikenna Ihezuo, Kanayo Onyemaechi, Innocent Ikpamezie, Bernard Ozoemelam, Kelechi Ofurum, Samuel Osuji.
Others includes; Johnleoba Iheoha, Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu, Chigozie Nwaneri, Francis Osuoha, Kennedy Ibeh, Kingsley Ozurumba,Obinna Egu.
