The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has conducted integrity tests on old buildings in the capital city to avert future occurrence of building collapse.
The Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, disclosed this in Abuja while addressing newsmen on Thursday on the buildings in the Jabi area, saying the buildings failed integrity tests and have the probability of collapsing anytime soon.
According to him, the FCTA would conduct the test in partnership with professional bodies and regulatory bodies, and agencies would be carried out in Wuse 1, Garki 1, Garki 2, and Asokoro, with buildings over 30 years as the main target.
He said: “We have agreed with our colleagues, the professional and regulatory bodies and agencies to identify some structures within the city and conduct integrity tests on them.
“The goal is to avert unforeseen circumstances like building collapse that may occur due to structural defects.
“I have discussed it with my colleagues, and we will soon be going to the field for the exercise, particularly in Garki 1, Garki 2, Wuse 1, and Asokoro,” he said.
He said the buildings located on Plot 643 Cadastral Zone Bo4, Jabi District, failed integrity and are likely to collapse.
Galadima said: “It is disturbing that in spite of professional warnings, the people are still occupying the house, even going further to obtain an order from the Court to stop us from vacating them.
“Our concern is the safety of the individual and their properties that is why we are calling on the public to desist from such acts.
“Once a structure has been tested and confirmed to be deficient, people should comply and vacate the structure because anything can happen,” he said.
According to Abdulrazak Alao, Deputy Director, Building Inspectorate, North, the occupants were served a vacation notice on Aug. 21.
He said: “We also invited them for a stakeholders` meeting to carry them along in the entire process but they refused to cooperate with us.
“Only for us to get here today (Thursday) and saw a Court Order pasted on the gate of the house, restraining us from carrying further action.
“We have carried out a scientific investigation called the Smith harmer test that indicated that the building is weak and could collapse.
“The buildings have decayed, soaked, and weak. I want it to be on record that the building is very unfit for human habitation and might collapse any day,” he said.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then