The Anambra State Government has sealed off the site of a collapsed three-storey building under construction at Otolo-Nnewi, which claimed two lives.
The building had collapsed last week, trapping 11 persons, including some Togolese builders.
The Chairman of the State Physical Planning Board, Barr. Chike Maduekwe, who visited the site, placed a seal order on the site on Tuesday.
Maduekwe had led a team comprising officials of the Board, the Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory as well as security officials to the site.
The officials went round the site, made observations, including testing some of the materials used for the building and took critical notes of them.
Addressing newsmen, the Leader of the team and Chairman of the Board, Maduekwe said the present administration in its bid to check incessant building collapses resulting in the wanton loss of lives and property, had taken strategic steps.
The steps included setting up of the State Materials Testing Laboratory to ensure use of the prescribed materials for construction and strengthening of the Physical Planning Board among many others.
While stressing that the State Government will thoroughly investigate the incident to identify the remote causes, Maduekwe called on developers to always seek approval from relevant agencies and endeavour to adhere to specifications during construction.
He assured that the Board is being re-positioned with the support of Governor Willie Obiano for greater efficiency.
On his part, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Materials Testing Laboratory, Engineer Michael Oraekie acknowledged that although a lot of issues may be responsible for the collapse, it will be preemptive to conclude on the cause of the incident until samples taken from the site are duly analysed.
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