The Oyo State Government has sealed off a building under construction in the Dugbe area of Ibadan after it partially collapsed. The structure, which belongs to a popular restaurant chain, is currently undergoing renovation.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, disclosed the development during an on-site inspection on Sunday. He said the action was taken to safeguard lives and property, and to facilitate a thorough investigation into the incident.
We thank God that there was no loss of life,” Akin-Funmilayo said. “After seeing the extent of the collapse, we decided that the site must be sealed off immediately.”
The commissioner stated that preliminary assessments by professionals from the Ministry of Works indicated that substandard materials were used in the construction. He said an integrity test will be conducted on the affected structure, as well as other outlets operated by the restaurant brand within the state.
There is an approval for the building’s design, and it had been in existence before renovation work began. From the information available, the same engineer overseeing this site is responsible for other branches of the restaurant,” he said.
Akin-Funmilayo warned that if any of the other outlets fail the integrity test, the government would take decisive action, including demolition if necessary.
We cannot afford to toy with the lives of our people,” he added.
The government said a full report will be compiled after the integrity assessments, which will guide its next course of action regarding the collapsed building and similar structures.
