Substandard building materials were said

to have caused the collapse of a one-storey building, causing the death of two persons and injuring five others in Taraba State.


 

Recall that on April 1, 2022, we reported that dozens of people had been feared killed after a one-storey building collapsed in Taraba State.

 

Following the collapse of the building, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Taraba State office, in Jalingo the State capital; launched an inquiry into the cause of the collapse and discovered that substandard materials were used in the building which is under construction.


 

Head of the SON Taraba State office, Janet Maken said the preliminary report indicates that substandard materials may have caused the building to collapse.


 

The report cosigned by Samuel Aboshi and Yakubu Nicodemus Ali, reads in parts, "that the collapsed building belongs to Chief Uche Obi whose facility had been sealed up last year October by Standards Organisation of Nigeria for dealing in suspected substandard building materials.


 

"That the sizes of the iron rods used for reinforcement for both the beams and columns were Y12 allowed through. Y12 were used in places where Y16 should have been used, this could be one of the major causes that led to the collapse of the structure


 

"That the construction of the collapsed building commenced February 2022 sand and hence did not get enough curing for proper bonding.


 

"We suspect that the mix ratio (cement, sand, gravel) for the concretes didn't meet the requirement.


 

"Samples of the iron rod used in the building were taken and will be forwarded to the laboratory for analysis.


 

"We witnessed the evacuation of two persons trapped under the rubble; one dead and one injured that were both rushed to the hospital by security men.


 

"There were no site engineers nor experts responsible for the construction work that could attain to us nor answer relevant questions".


 

Taraba State Commissioner for Urban Development, Sale Sa'ad said the owner of the building, Uche Obi has been declared wanted for embarking on the construction without prior approval.



However, when contacted Obi, denied using substandard materials, arguing thus, "where is a laboratory confirmation to the allegation?”


 

"Chemicals were poured to weaken and to destroy the building; this we'll prove in due course. I was the target; they thought I could be killed in the debris because I stay there virtually every day," he added.


 

On the allegation of carrying out the construction without appropriate approval, Obi said, "When things like this happen, everyone gets into the blame game. The structure is on the main road near the university, how possible could I have started it without approval from Urban Development Agency?”


Source: SaharaReporters