Building Collapse in Edo Sparks Worries Over Safety Standards

A two-storey building under construction on Gospel Avenue, off Adesuwa Road, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, collapsed early Thursday morning. This incident raises new worries about building standards and regulatory compliance in the state.

A resident, Jonathan Bitrus, shared with PUNCH Metro that the building fell down around 2:00 a.m. He said the collapse happened because the foundation was too weak to hold a two-storey structure.

He added that a major tragedy was avoided since no workers were present when the building collapsed. “The building collapsed at about 2:00 a.m. or 2:15 a.m. on Thursday. I heard a loud bang, and when I came outside to see what had happened, I was shocked to discover that the entire building had collapsed,” he explained.

In response to the situation, the Edo State Government condemned the use of low-quality construction materials. They ordered the immediate sealing of the building site.

Vincent Uwadiae, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, visited the site. He warned developers to avoid building projects without getting the necessary approvals and using poor materials.

Uwadiae expressed relief that no lives were lost. He said, “Let me first thank God that no worker was on site when the building collapsed. Had the incident occurred during working hours, the casualties could have been enormous.

“This building was not approved. There is no application before the ministry. How can someone erect a two-storey building without obtaining the required approval?

“We have continued to sensitise members of the public on the need to obtain building approvals so that developments can be properly monitored. Although we cannot be everywhere, residents should alert the ministry whenever they notice suspicious developments in their neighbourhoods.”

The commissioner mentioned that the building would stay sealed while investigations continue. He noted that the owner of the building had not been found yet.

“The owner is nowhere to be found, and there are no workers on site. The law will take its course, and appropriate action will be taken once the owner is identified,” he added.

Uwadiae also revealed that early inspections showed that the reinforcement rods used in the building were of poor quality and not enough for a structure of that size.

He warned that if the owner does not show up before the authorities within the required time, the government might take control of the property according to existing laws.

Darlington Igabali, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, described the collapse as something that could have been avoided.

“The administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has zero tolerance for irresponsible and substandard developments in the state,” he said.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the collapse resulted from the use of inferior materials. In addition, the building had no approval from the relevant authorities.”

This incident happened just a week after another two-storey church building under renovation along Palace Road, off Ogheghe Road, in Egor Local Government Area, also collapsed. This church building was home to Faith Above Educational Academy.

The state government has often warned that some developers still ignore government rules by starting construction projects without approval.