Anambra State House of Assembly has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), Managing Director of Anambra State Physical Planning Board and the Chairman Material Texting Agency to ensure that building across Anambra State are continuously monitored after initial approval while under construction to ensure strict compliance with all structural regulations to forestall building collapse.
Chief Sponsors of the motion Hon. Jude Akpua while making submissions said that the rate of building collapse in the State is at an all time high, which has become a life threatening menace that is now a major cause of deaths and physical injuries to its victims in Anambra State.Â
Hon. Akpua who is the Deputy Majority Leader maintained that Awka Capital Territory Development Authority and Anambra State Physical Planning Board are the established government bodies saddled with the responsibility to approve, inspect, and monitor public and private buildings in the State.
Akpua who is the member representing Njikoka two constituency revealed that experts attribute the cause of incessant building collapses to use of substandard materials, non-adherence/compliance to design and structural specifications, lack of comprehensive subsoil investigation before designs are done, illegal conversion or alteration to existing structures and use of quacks or nonprofessional builders;Â
” The negative impacts of building collapse inflict both physical injuries and death, psychological and economic loses that causes untold hardship and pain, that leaves the victims traumatized;Â
“Strict compliance to building ethics and regulations as provided by the aforementioned agencies will ensure that the structural integrity of buildings in Anambra State are of the highest standards, as access to safe and affordable homes and buildings for Ndi Anambra is a major contributor to sustainable development.Â
” The rate at which building collapse in Anambra state is a worrisome situation and their two factors that leads to the collapse of buildings which are man made and natural phenomenon.Â
” Some of the builders use quack engineers and their are consequence of building collapse such of lifes, properties, dignity.
 ” Some people build without plainning and sadlyÂ
 I lost three of my constituents (from Nimo) at Nnewi recently”.
Supporting the motion, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, Hon. Anayo Okpalaeke, Majority Leader Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu, Hon. Noble Igwe, Hon. Patrick Udoba, Chief Whip Hon. Jude Ngobili, Hon. Ibemeka Chidiebele/and Hon. Bernard Udemezue in their seperate submissions urged the relivant agencies to intensify more effort while discharging their duties.Â
” This agencies should visit building sites constantly in order to monitor the mateials used for constructions.Â
” Constant check on the measurements should be done in order to stop those whose building will obstruct road construction.
” Let ndi Anambra expose any suspected unapproved on-going constructions. It is not only the function of this agencies to monitor buildings.Â
” Their should be a rigorous and continous physical monitoring by the relivant agencies who live up to their responsibility”.
Anambra Speaker Rt. Hon. Somtowhile while supporting the motion, commended the deputy majority leader for moving the motion.
Rt. Hon. Udeze said as lawmakers, it is their responsibility to oversight. He called on the house committee on housing to look into it more at their meetings.
Speaking to house correspondents in an interview after plenary, Hon. Jude Apua said apart from Lagos, Anambra is the second state with high rate of building collapse.Â
The lawmaker lamented over the lost of his constituents recently at Nnewi, stating that he has filed a petition against the builder who will soon appear at plenary for explainations over the collapsed building.
The house adjourned to reconvene Tuesday 31st October 2023
