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FCTA, professionals meet over building collapse, undeveloped plots in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday met with building professionals, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders to address the problems of building collapse, undeveloped plots and abandoned structures.
Addressing journalists after the meeting in Abuja, the Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, expressed FCTA’s concern over substandard structures and the spate of building collapse in the FCT.
Galadima explained that the meeting was to exchange views on how to stop the menace of building collapse in the FCT.
According to him, working with experts outside FCTA would help in strengthening supervision with a view to ensuring that only quality projects are delivered in the FCT.
“As a responsible agency, we have to be proactive in addressing the cases of building collapse. We have to work with professional bodies and regulating agencies.
“The meeting will help us to constitute a committee that will be making suggestions on tackling the menace of building collapse and substandard structures.
“We are going to engage with professionals and regulatory bodies continuously to discuss technical issues and strengthen supervision of building projects.
“This will help us to share responsibilities on how to ensure quality and safe buildings in the Abuja city,” he said.
Galadima disclosed that the committee which will soon be constituted will also examine issues surrounding abandoned structures and undeveloped plots and come up with solutions.
Also speaking, Mr Cyril Nwafor of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), urged the National Assembly to implement the council’s recommendations submitted to it since 2010.
He listed the recommendations to include involvement of only registered professionals in handling projects and discipline of those behind failed projects.
Other professional bodies at the meeting included the Architect Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) among others.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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