As part of efforts to forestall cases of collapsed buildings in Ekiti State, the state government has ordered chairmen of Local Government Areas to conduct integrity tests on old buildings across various communities.
The government directed the council chairmen to liase with the town planning area officers towards identifying old and dilapidated buildings in the respective communities in a bid to demolish those who failed the test.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oladapo Karounwi gave the directive on Thursday during a visit to the site of the collapsed building at Odo Uri area in Igede-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Areas.
The building had on Tuesday caved in on the occupants which resulted in the death of a school girl and other members of the family including the parents sustaining life-threatening injuries.
The commissioner also directed the chairmen to submit reports of their findings to the ministry within a week and as well, ” to immediately evacuate the occupants of any identified dilapidated buildings in their council areas.”
He noted that, ” after evacuation, the buildings should be demolished latest by December for the owners to retain ownership of the landed properties, if by January the demolition has not been done, either by the owners or the Local governments, the Ministry will demolish them and the Government will take over the land.”
Karounwi revealed that the government would not compromise the life and safety of the people, and commiserated with the families of the victims.
Stressing the commitment of the present administration to the provision of a conducive environment for the citizens, he noted that the government was working round the clock to put smiles on the faces of the people.
Reacting, the Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun, Mr Babatola Ogundana said efforts were in the pipeline to demolish dilapidated buildings across the Local Government Areas assured the commissioner that they would do everything possible to prevent such ugly occurrences in the future.
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