The Nation Newspaper

Tag: collapsed

  • Why Constitution amendment deal collapsed

    Why Constitution amendment deal collapsed

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan could not assent to constitution amendments because of the collapse of talks between the Federal Government’s team and the National Assembly, it was learnt yesterday.

    The National Assembly could not abide by the terms of the agreement by both parties.

    The Assembly was also unable to satisfy the constitutional provisions which could make the former President to sign the amendments into law.

    But with five working days left for the 7th National Assembly to wind up, the principal officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives are in a dilemma on whether or not to override Jonathan’s veto and pass the amendments into law.

    Jonathan ought to sign the amendments into law on May 28, it was learnt.

    Although the Federal Government and the National Assembly presented the terms of settlement or agreement to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the two parties still disagreed sharply between Wednesday  night and Thursday morning.

    It was gathered that the National Assembly could not “clean up” the amendments and fulfill constitutional requirements for Jonathan to assent to the amendments.

    The National Assembly reportedly retained some of the contentious amendments which forced the Federal Government to go to the Supreme Court.

    For Jonathan to sign the amendments into law, the Federal Government demanded that:

    •the sections removed by the National Assembly ought to be ratified by the Committee of the Whole and not a few members of the Assembly negotiating with the government;

    •there must be substantial compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments;

    •alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes, unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all members of the National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly;

    •the involvement of few members in the clean-up was illegal because the process was irregular and improper;

    •the fresh amendments made available to the former President should also be presented to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for scrutiny and endorsement;

    •the review of the amendments through mere agreement with the Federal Government is subject to challenge in court and could be declared illegal; and

    •it was too late in the day for the ex-president to sign the amendments

    A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, tried unsuccessfully to mobilize the Constitution Review Committee to clean up the amendments on Thursday.

    “But by the time the ‘clean copy’ was taken to the Presidential Villa on Thursday for assent, the National Assembly leaders were told that Jonathan had given his handover note to President Muhammadu Buhari and he could no longer sign any bill into law.

    “The Assembly leaders were also made to realise that Jonathan did not include the controversy over the amendments in the handover note.”

    Another source said: “The former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), was of the view that since the report of the National Conference had been sent to the National Assembly, the 8th National Assembly will do a better job to effect the constitutional amendments.

    “The development made National Assembly leaders to leave the Presidential Villa dejected and disappointed.

    “In fact, Ekweremadu openly complained that Adoke deceived the National Assembly into out-of-court settlement.”

    A member of the legal team involved in the botched agreement said: “Our deal collapsed because the National Assembly did not clean up the amendments on time.

    “The Assembly leaders retained some of the amendments opposed by the Federal Government. And time was not just on the side of the National Assembly to fulfill the requirements for constitution amendment.”

    National Assembly leaders are said to be in a dilemma on the next step.

    A Senator said: “It will be difficult for the Senate and the House of Representatives to now sit and claim that they are overriding the veto of a former President.

    “There is no way President Muhammadu Buhari can be liable for the veto exercised by his predecessor. This is the challenge at hand.

    “The National Assembly can also not present the amendments to Buhari to sign into law. With five working days left, we are really helpless.

    “The worst aspect is that we cannot go back to the Supreme Court because time is no longer on our side.”

    The former President rejected 10 of the 65 amendments to the 1999 Constitution by the 7th National Assembly.

    Some of the errors in the amendments are:

    •non-compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments;

    •alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly;

    •right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions;

    •flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers;

    •unjustified whittling down of the Executive powers of the Federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution; and

    •30 days allowed for assent of the President.

    The others are:

    •limiting expenditure in default of appropriation from six months to three months;

    •creation of the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation distinct from the Accountant General of the Federal Government;

    •empowering National Economic Council to appoint the Accountant-General of the Federation instead of the President;

    •allowing the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint the Attorney-General of the Federation rather than the President;

    •unwittingly whittling down the discretionary powers of the Attorney-General; and

    •Life pension scheme for principal officers of the National Assembly.

  • ‘Collapsed Synagogue building not caused by structural defect’

    ‘Collapsed Synagogue building not caused by structural defect’

    The collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCAN) building was not caused by structural defects, Coroner Oyetade Comolafe has heard.

    A consultant engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who supervised the project, repudiated claims “that the collapse was caused by foundation defects,” saying: “The building had 28 columns.

    Ogundeji, who works Hardrock Construction and Engineering Limited, said a soil test was conducted by a geo-technical engineer whose report informed the building design.

    The coroner admitted the amended architectural and structural designs of the building, which were tendered through Ogundeji as exhibit.

    Led in evidence by SCOAN’s counsel Mr Olalekan Ojo, Ogundeji told the coroner last Friday that he was trained in Building Technology and Building Engineering in Yugoslavia, adding: “I will not agree that the collapse was caused by structural defect. If it was a structural defect the collapse will be gradual. There will be cracks visible even to a layman.

    “When I watched the CCTV footage, everything came down within four seconds. Speaking sincerely, I believe that it must have been induced scientifically but I don’t know the means.”

    The direction and the speed of the fall of the building were not consistent with structural failure, adding: “According to the drawing and based on the geotechnical reports, the foundations were okay. This project is a technological cause, it can be verified.

    “Now, when we were working on site, we did not envisage that something like this would happen but after the collapse, an agency of the state, the Lagos State Material Testing Agency came to the site, they instructed that three bases should be excavated, they took some samples and carried out laboratory tests. They came out with the result; the concrete pad footing passed the test, the reinceforcement passed the test and the columns passed the test. Apart from this, the foundation on site that the six-storey building stood upon are still there, they are intact, no rotation and no tilting.”

    According to Ogundeji, despite the stress occasioned by the collapse, the foundation still passed the test conducted by the agency. The results, he said, were in the court’s custody.

    When asked about the signs of a building that collapsed because of foundational compromise, Ogundeji said there would have been cracks in the foundation and the wall, adding that the building would have been tilting weeks before its collapse.

    Illustrating with a schematic diagram, Ogundeji said: “If it is a structural failure, the whole building would not come down suddenly on no account and when it is coming down it would be gradual, it may take days, weeks or months and it can take 10 years and there will be cracks that even a layman will see it.”

    The construction, the witness said, followed best practices, adding that though his client was responsible for the supply of building materials, he gave the specification and suggested the supplier.

    He said Dangote cement was used for the construction, adding that every bag of cement procured was used within two weeks of manufacture because the storage room was small.

    Ogundeji disagreed with the agency’s recommendation that a raft foundation should have been erected for the structure.

    Under-cross examination by Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, counsel to the Lagos State government, Ogundeji said certified designs were sufficient for the start of the project.

    Hearing resumes today.

  • Gov Amosun, please fix the collapsed Iken-Ogbo bridge

    I write to once again bring to the notice of Governor Ibikunle Amosun the issue of the Iken-Ogbo bridge in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    The bridge which is the only gateway to several communities in the area, such as Okelamuren, Ibido, Idagbo, collapsed on May 16, 2012, throwing the people into untold hardship. The people thus have to go through huge difficulties navigating through difficult paths to connect with the outside world. To the people’s surprise, the bridge has remained in the same state, despite official reports to the local and state government offices.

    We are therefore seizing this opportunity to bring the matter to your attention, especially as you are billed to tour the area in the coming week. It is also important to remind you that the area is largely dominated by APC members and faithful, who cannot understand why they have been abandoned to this fate for almost three years.

    We are also using this opportunity to bring to your notice the terrible state of our road in Ward 15 and the fact that the whole area has been left in total darkness since 2012, when the transformer packed up. As a community, we have been collaborating with the local government chairman, Olawale Shittu, but it seems these projects are a bit beyond his capacity.

    Even Kabiyesi, Oba Lawrence Oguntayo, the Alawunren of Okelamuren  and High Chief Lekan Odunfejo have not been left out in the quest to find lasting solution to these problems, as he has severally taken the matter to both the local and the state governments.

    We will therefore appreciate it if you can come to our aid, as the situation is getting unbearable by the day and affecting commercial activities.

    We wish you success in the coming election and once again promise you our unflinching support as a people.

    •Muyiwa Omobulejo,

    1, Igbodile Quarters, Iken-Ogbo-Ijebu near Ijebu-Ode.

     

  • When Synagogue’s building collapsed

    When Synagogue’s building collapsed

    Four days after the mysterious collapse of the foreigners’ guest house inside Pastor T B Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) at Ikotun on the outskirts of Lagos, the government and the church’s management still do not know what brought down the building; but the founder of the church seems to have an idea. PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU reports.

    Like every other Sunday, vehicles were parked on all sides of the road including the culverts demarcating the lanes. The long stretch of different brands of cars on Saturdays and Sundays is not abnormal because to commuters and residents around the Ikotun axis of Lagos, it indicates “service ongoing’ at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

    Despite the collapse of the church’s foreign guest house that has killed no fewer than 49 persons last Friday, with many others suspected to be trapped under the rubble, church activities were not disrupted last Sunday when The Nation visited for an update on the tragedy.

    There was a striking overflow outside the main auditorium, along the Ikotun road as members lined up in twos watching Prophet T.B. Joshua through one of the numerous projectors, conduct the day’s affair.

    While worshippers who could not get seats inside the high rise main church building were restricted around the service ground to avoid their going close to the site of the incident, all other visitors save for cleared emergency agency workers, had to report to Gate Five, which is adjacent to the collapsed structure.

    Entering the church compound, which appears to be a community of its own with well tarred road, it was observed that the CCTV footage, corroborating SCOAN’s position that the collapsed six-storey was fell by a ‘strange aircraft’ was being aired on all the screens in the premises, with a narrator explaining the images to the viewers.

    As the congregation watched the images with gloomy faces, they wailed at the point the building sank, with most of them cursing the “strange aircraft” and “masterminds” of the misfortune.

    While the service progressed with a fatigued Joshua commending the congregation for keeping the faith and coming to church despite the disaster, the church’s security department as well as its media crew tried to keep reporters off the site of the tragedy.

    As tractors and caterpillars excavated the debris, oozing stench rent the air, lending credence to the assumption that more victims may be trapped.

    Mattresses, slippers, clothes and other personal effect belonging to the victims were also sighted in the debris, while fumigants were being distributed to avert spread of any disease.

    The church however, exhibited high level of coordination, such that there was no stampede despite the huge crowd present at the scene. It was also observed that the church has high quality emergency equipment, most of which were used by the government officials in carrying out their functions.

    The Prophet’s messageý and the strange aircraft

    Although efforts to get the church to comment proved abortive, ýProphet Joshua during his sermon attributed the incident to the works of the evil one.

    A black and white CCTV  footage showing a “ýstrange aircraft”, going back and forth the building four times before it collapsed was shown to the congregation.

    Speaking on the issue, Joshua brought out a white sheet, in which had an email sent by a converted Boko Haram member, Emmanuel Anaja.

    “I did not bring this out before now because I did not want people with little faith to be scared and stop coming to church.

    “Even my wife did not know of the existence of this mail. Only the people at the email department and myself knew of it and I told them not to disclose it to anyone.

    “The picture on the mail is that of one Emmanuel Anaja from Kogi State, residing in Jos with his soldier parent.

    “He was a Boko Haram member who came to SCOAN to plant a bomb but could not do it because of our God and got converted and went back to Jos with the explosives.

    “I am showing members for them to know the God they serve. If I had shown it in the past, faithless people may not want to come to church again.

    “We have to believe what happened so that our people can learn and be educated to be on the alert at all times.

    “Boko Haram will not stop here. I have said it before. It won’t stop here but our God will get back at them such that they will know it is because of what they have done in this church.

    “Maybe, this one will be the end of the whole thingý.

    “I have remained silent because I have to. My life has been like that. People will lie from the beginning and later realise the truth. It is my life and I accept it. It is a good life,” he said.

    Speaking further, the Prophet saluted the “heroes and God’s generals. It is a security matter and so, I have to allow the security people to do their job.”

    The aggressiveness of the church workers

    For the church’s workers particularly security operatives attached to the premises, the presence of journalists since Friday when the incident happened was anything but welcoming. Their hostilities were in sharp contrast to the humility exhibited by Prophet Joshua who, though refused to speak on the crisis, admonished reporters to ensure professionalism in reporting the mishap.

    Reporters and cameramen were assaulted for doing their jobs or attempting to take news worthy pictures.

    The members till Monday night, refused to give details of those affected, the number of people in the building; their names or where the injured are being treated. All information regarding victims of the mishap or their identities and family members were shrouded in secrecy, as the church’s ambulances took turns in evacuating the victims.

    Even officials of the National Emergency Management Agency; Lagos State Emergency Management Agency; Red Cross and Fire Service did not have an easy ride as they were not allowed by the church members to carry out their functions.

    Rather, some Germans were initially brought in to coordinate the search and rescue but for the intervention of higher authorities including the Lagos State Governor.

    The arrest order by Fashola

    Immediately Governor BabatundeFashola got to the scene, he queried the presence of church members ordering security personnel to send them out in order for rescue workers to do their jobs.

    “What are they doing here? This is now a national disaster. Cordon-off thisý area and let anyone who is not a rescue operative be sent out so that professionals can do their jobs.

    “Anyone obstructing the duties of emergency agencies should be arrested.”

    To Prophet T.B. Joshua, who arrived while the governor was still issuing the arrest order, Fashola said: “We understand that this is an unfortunate situation but we need your men to understand that it is an emergency situation.

    “Let them allow those who are trained to do their jobs. We cannot carryout emergency and rescue operations in this situation.”

    While walking with the Prophet to his office for a closed door meeting, the governor, who observed that construction work was ongoing in the main building of the church queried the legality of the action.

    The agonies of loved ones

    As the excavation exercise began at the scene, relatives of missing persons who had come to make enquiry could not help but cry uncontrollably. While most of them who insisted on going to the site of the collapsed building to see things for themselves were directed into an inner chamber at the main building by church workers, others were seen roaming restlessly.

    A pathetic case was that of an old man from Delta State, who claimed his son was among the workers and he was yet to see him.

    The old man, who spoke Yoruba, had approached the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning, Olutoyin Ayinde, crying uncontrollably just as he demanded funds to return to his home state, Delta.

    He claimed that nobody has attended to him since the incident occurred, adding that he has neither eaten nor had good rest.

    But he was swiftly taken away by security agents, who said they would look into his claims.

    Similarly, the relatives of one Dayo Abbas on Monday created a scene as they arrived at the church with a coffin, demanding the remains of their son.

    Abbas, according to his relatives was working as a carpenter in the collapsed building.

    The coffin, which was inside a “Danfo bus”, was not allowed to drive inside and security personnel stopped journalists from taking shots of the scene.

    A Television Continental (TVC) cameraman who tried taking visuals of the coffin was beaten up by a policeman with force number, 211703, just as the man threatened to damage his camera.

    A lady, who had a white paper containing the details of a Zimbabwean,  Greenwich Ndanga told The Nation that the church has refused to tell her his whereabouts.

    She alleged that he was among the occupants of the foreign guest house, adding that they have not been able to get across to him since the incident occurred.

    “No one is talking to us. I have been here since Friday, looking for him but no one is saying anything. Please help me because I do not know what to do again,” she said.

    The hypocrisy of government workers

    Contrary to the church’s claims that the collapse was an act of sabotage, emergency responders believed that the building must have caved-in following defective foundation.

    They argued that the additional two floors being added to the existing four-storey might have affected the foundation, which they described as already weak.

    According to the Lagos State Building Inspection and Control Agency, the church had no approval to add structures to the exiting building.

    But while government officials claimed that the building must have caved-in following the addition that was being made to the existing four-storey building, they turned a blind eye to the church’s main auditorium which has also added additional structures.

    Both state and Federal Government officials who saw the main auditorium, refused to comment on it or assess its risk levels to forestall another mishap.

    Drama as Congolese prophesies collapse of main auditorium

    Another drama ensued after a Sweden based Congolese prophesied the collapse of the church’s main auditorium.

    The prophet, Jean-Claude Kibonzy, who was detained by security operatives manning the entrance of the church and later chased out of the premises, alleged that he had warned the church two years ago about last Friday’s disaster that has killed 49 people so far.

    Showing copies of printed mails dated as far as August 2012, Kibonzy said he was forced to speak to the media because the church authorities have prevented Prophet T.B. Joshua from receiving his messages and emails.

    He alleged that he has come to the church on several occasions to deliver God’s message to the man of God, but that each time he came, the guards and security operatives always treated him with disdain.

    Kibonzy, who came with his Kenyan wife, Christene and their two kids, warned of a ceaseless rain and severe calamity to befall Nigeria should anything happen to Joshua, adding that the attack was aimed at Joshua.

    “My ministry is Rock of God Ministry. I am a man of God and I got revelation in 2012 about the falling of this church. God showed me everything and I saw the part of the church where people eat collapse. I came here at the end of 2012 and before I came, I called but they did not even want to pick the call.

    “I paid my air ticket and came. Most of the evangelists and security people know me. That is why they do not want to see me today and treated me the way they did. They know that if Prophet Joshua should know about this, he will cast them out.

    “I informed them in 2012 that God showed me this. I told them they have to act in order to safe lives but because they want to embarrass me and think that there is only one Prophet in the world.

    “They do not know that God showed me the vision so that I can pass the message to them to safe people. It is because God loves Nigeria. After all, I am not a Nigerian. So, why should I be concerned about Nigeria? But it is God who sent me.

    “But they embarrassed me even in 2012. I even began to cry and I said they do not know what they are doing because their people will die. I told them they are playing with fire.

    “I went back and God sent me again with another message that Boko Haram want to attack Synagogue church. I came three months before it happened and I informed them but they assaulted me here.

    “I told them I am here because God wants to safe the Prophet but they are threatening his life. They denied receiving my emails and I showed them copies of all the mails I have sent from Sweden.

    “I do not know if they deleted all the mails and yet they did not act. God showed me the last attempt to bomb the Lagos airport and I wrote to the police. Two weeks after, they caught a suspect at the Lagos airport.

    “Before I came, God showed me that it is the life of the prophet that is in danger. Anything can happen today or tomorrow because there are people threatening his life. This is the reason I came.

    “I came with a message to the Nigerian nation. I am warning that if anything happens to the Prophet T.B.Joshua, there will be rainfall (in the country) that will never stop and the leadership will take control but no leadership will be alive.

    “It is a warning to the people of Nigeria. All seven prophecies I gave earlier have come to pass and this is another one. I am here to show the power of God because I have tried to talk to the prophet. I have been here seven times but no one will allow me talk to him.

    “They have tightened the prophet inside a cage. I am going back as soon as possible because I have passed the message.

    “God has also shown me that another building will collapse in this church. This time around, it will be the overflow of the main auditorium. The prophet T.B. Joshua should take this warning seriously and act fast now in order to avert another major disaster,” he said.

  • Synagogue death toll hits 45

    Synagogue death toll hits 45

    Fashola calls for inquiry

    NAMA probes mystery aircraft

    Joshua shows ‘video’

    Rescuers were still busy yesterday at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun on the outskirts of Lagos where a building collapsed, killing 45 persons —as of yesterday.

    When the incident happened on Friday, 17 were said to have died.

    Many are believed to be trapped underneath the six-storey building.

    The church has declined comments on the number of persons in the building when it collapsed. Besides, it insists that nobody died in the incident.

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola was at the scene yesterday. He called for an inquiry.

    Government officials have said there was no approval for the erection of additional floors.

    Commissioner for Physical Planning Olutoyin Ayinde, who was on Fashola’s entourage, said the church’s engineers were yet to  present their permit to make such modifications.

    Ayinde said: “Our meeting with the prophet was a closed-door meeting but it surrounds the collapsed building. It is a sad situation; lives have been lost and many others have been rescued.

    “We use this opportunity to express our sympathy to the affected people.

    “We have no proof that the church had permit to add to the existing structure. We have asked the engineering team to meet us and for about two hours now, no member of the team has come.

    “We also have questions for them. Even if the building does not have approval, it ought to be built professionally. We have asked for their team and we hope in the course of the week, they would get to us.

    “It is necessary to take the final inventory before we can say the number of people affected. Right now, we do not know how many people are involved. When a final inventory has been taken, the ministry of special duties will take a decision as regards relieve,” he added.

    On whether the ýgovernment plans to seal the premises, Ayinde said: “There are no plans for that yet until investigation as to the cause of the collapse has been concluded.

    “I have said I have no proof of a permit. Maybe they have one and are yet to show us. We will give them the opportunity to defend themselves and action can only be taken after investigation has been concluded.”

    But the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun, affirmed that the church had no approval.

    She said: “We have investigated and found that they had no approval for the additional structures. Even the main church, which they have added about three floors on, was sealed two days ago, but it is now open.

    ”You cannot have an existing building and start putting up more buildings on it. Before you can do anything like that, you must confirm that the structure is still stable and can stand additional buildings.”

    The Nation gathered that the collapsed building, which was a three-storey that had another three added to it, had been vibrating for sometime before it collapsed.

    It was also gathered that over 200 people were in the building, most of them having lunch at the basement, while the construction workers were on the sixth floor.

    There were many foreigners, according to sources.

    Mattresses, clothes and other household items, including air-conditionersý, were seen lying in the rubble of the building. Besides, a foul odour oozed out of the site.

    Fumigants were being distributed to the workers.

    National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Red Cross, medical personnel from the state and federal governments  and Lagos State Building Inspection Agency personnel were all at the site as excavation continued.

    The workers were on the sixth floor, cutting the rods to create an opening to into other floors.

    The Nation gathered that all the 130 people rescued alive and the 45 dead were removed from the sixth floor and the basement, which are the only areas the workers have been able to access.

    It was also observed that most of the pillars of the collapsed building were still standing.

    Confirming the death toll, NEMA’s Southwest spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the cause of the collpase was still being investigated.

    “We were able to work overnight and so, as at now (6pm), we have 130 rescued alive and 45 dead. Nobody can say what caused the collapse. But from the footage shown to me, where all the foundation of the building was shaking before it caved in, it could have been caused by the additional structure.

    “Investigations will confirm what really happened. You can see that some of the beams and blocks are still intact. So, some of the permutations cannot be ruled out.

    “We are working on worst case scenario that the foundation might have been weakened, which would have led to the collapse.”

  • Collapsed building kills three

    Two sons and a housemaid of Edo State Chairman of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) Osamudiamwen Osagiede have been killed in Benin, the Edo State capital, when a building collapsed.

    They were at the building to repair a bicycle when the tragic incident occurred.

    The names of the boys were given as Junior and Martins, aged 15 and seven.

    Their dad said: “It is a great pain to me. They were my only sons. They went there to repair their bicycles when a section of the building collapsed on them. They were killed instantly.”

    He said the matter has been reported to the police.

  • Controversy trails collapsed building

    WERE residents of the collapsed building advised to evacuate it before it went down early yesterday?

    Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) General Manager Femi Oke- Osanyintolu and his Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) counterpart Biodun Oki said the residents were warned. The residents denied the claim.

    Oki said the residents were warned earlier to vacate the building, which was erected about 18 years ago.

    He said: “Some of the buildings have been marked before now; in most cases, four years back. If you mark the buildings, they wipe off the paint and paint the building again. They have been served eviction notice several times.”

    According to the residents, the agency only came yesterday morning to mark some other buildings for demolition.

    Victor Daramola, a resident in the block said: “You see that these buildings were marked this morning. They also gave a 48-hour quit notice to all residents of M Blocks. I wonder why government officials like reactive measures. Where do they want us to go now?”

    He said: “I hate the hypocrisy that goes on in this country. For the past four years, we have written several letters begging the relevant authorities to come and inspect this building but they did not.

    “When they became embarrassed perhaps, they sent some of their agents last year to come and see the buildings. After their inspection, they told us the situation was not that bad, that we should stay as the building will not collapse any time soon. Here we are today.”

    An official of the Residents’ Association, who refused to be named, told reporters that the buildings in the ‘M-zone’ were built in 2001 by the government.

    “Alhaji Lateef Jakande did not finish building all the estates, so successive governments continued on it. I’m not sure they have good foundation, if not 11 years is not enough for the building to collapse,” he said.

    Another resident said the government sold all the buildings to private investors who do not bother about renovating them.

    “I moved into the estate in 2006. I renovated my building myself, despite paying N250, 000. If you complain to the landlord, they will ask you to leave because there is someone willing to take the place”.

  • Collapsed bridge delays train services

    The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC)has said that the collapse of the a railway bridge in Minna, had stalled the movement of goods and passenger services train from Lagos to Kano.

    The Managing Director of the corporation,Mr Adeseyi Sijuade, disclosed this when the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, led the Good Governance Team on a visit to the area.

    The team visited the completed project site of the two railway bridges that were washed away by flood three years ago.

    Sijuade said that the two collapsed railway bridges at Akere,had now been completed and certified by the government inspector of railway.

    “The good news is that it was earlier this week that the government inspector of railway certified the completion of the Akere Bridge.

    “Starting from next week, we will introduce our goods and passenger services train from Lagos to Zungeru.

    According to him, trains currently move from Minna to Kano.

    He, however, said that the current problem was the collapsed bridge at Minna.

    “The problem now is a collapsed railway bridge at Minna which is being addressed.

    “Once it is done in the next three weeks, trains can now move from Lagos to Kano,’’

    Responding, Maku said that the visit had shown that the Federal Government was sincere in its promise of reviving the rail transport system in order to ease pressure on the roads and boost economic activities in the country.

    “What we did today was a demonstration ride to confirm to Nigerians that the rehabilitation of the railway has moved from Lagos to Zungeru in Niger state.

    “It means that we can now move our goods and services regularly from Lagos to Zungeru due to the completion of the rehabilitation of Akere bridge,’’ he said.

    The minister expressed optimism that by the end of November, the rehabilitation work would be completed between Zungeru and Minna, to enable trains to move directly from Lagos to Kano.

    Also speaking, Malam Mohammed Garba, the National President of the NUJ, praised the Federal Government for reviving the rail transport to ease pressure on the roads, thereby boosting economic activities in the country.

    “The NUJ strongly believes that if there is one area where Mr President is doing well, it is in the area of rail transport.

    “We are really impressed with the high quality job,” Garba said.

     

  • Aregbesola tasks engineers on collapsed buildings, roads

    OSUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has tasked civil engineers to stem the tide of collapsed building and bad roads in the country.

    Aregbesola challenged the engineers at the reception held at the weekend in Ikeja, Lagos in honour of the Chairman of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Dr. Ezekiel Olajide Adeniji an engineer by the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE).

    The governor was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Gbenga Adefusoye.

    Aregbesola said: “I must remind my professional colleagues of the state of our profession and its impact on our society, especially on civil engineering. Building continues to collapse and our roads are hardly getting better. We should be professionally challenged and do something to stem the tide.

    “Our civil engineers should be engaged for instance on how to construct enduring roads that will withstand the heavy tropical rains and excessive heat at minimal cost.

    “They should also be concerned about the low quality of job deliveries of some of our public and private works. We must as a professional body make positive impact on our society.”

    Aregbesola described Adeniji as a marketable product of good virtues that the state has to offer the country, nothing that he “is a worthy ambassador of the virtues that we embody in Osun”.

    Saying that the award bestowed on the FERMA chief did not come as a surprise, he added: “Dr. Adeniji is another demonstration of the fact that, in the state of Osun, we do not just pride ourselves as virtuous people, we live and breadth the values”.

    Adeniji expressed happiness and gratitude to God for the honour.

    While acknowledging the friendship and support of Aregbesola, he also promised his continued support and that of FERMA to the development of the institute.

    National Chairman of NICE, Amos Omopeloye, said Adeniji made the civil engineering family proud on his recent appointment as the executive chairman of FERMA.

    He said: “There is a reward and there will always be reward for those who are steadfast in every endeavour they have chosen. Adeniji has paid his dues in the practice of the civil engineering professionally, both locally and internationally to deserve the award bestowed on him.”