BY KASE GREATNESS
The Delta State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Renewal, Engr. Ifeanyi Michael Anoka, has warned developers to stop using substandard materials to avoid building collapse.
He gave the warning yesterday when he visited the site of a collapsed two-storey building under construction close to the Asaba International Airport.
Commissioner Anoka emphasized that, in accordance with the law, any building site without an approved building plan is considered illegal, as it has not undergone the mandatory regulatory processes overseen by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal.
As a result, such sites are to face the wrath of the law.
During an on-the-spot assessment visit to the site, the Commissioner was accompanied by Peter Amaduobogha, including other members of the ministry’s enforcement team.
Commissioner Anoka expressed disappointment over the developer’s failure to adhere to the state’s building regulations and the use of standard materials. It was discovered that the construction had commenced without an approved building plan, despite several stop-work notices issued by the ministry.
The team therefore discovered the cause of the collapse of the building to be the use of substandard materials by the developers.
As a measure to check the trend, Commissioner Anoka announced plans to introduce a digitalized system for processing and monitoring building approvals.
This system will enable the ministry to track every approved project directly to the responsible Area Planning Officers (APOs).
According to him, this innovation will help eliminate forgery, prevent illegal development, and strengthen the ministry’s capacity to monitor, evaluate, and mitigate potential disasters and environmental hazards within the state’s building sector.
