The scene of the sad incident
According to a report by New Telegraph, rescue workers yesterday
pulled out four more bodies from the debris of the seven-storey building
which collapsed about 12 days ago on Woji Road, GRA Phase 2, Port
Harcourt.
The South-South Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA), Martins Ejike, who disclosed this to
journalists in Port Harcourt, expressed sadness over the lack of
manpower in carrying out their operations.
He disclosed that the death toll had risen to 13 out of the 44
people who had been brought out from the rubble, with some of the
remaining 31 people rescued receiving treatment.
Ejike noted that the peculiarity nature of the accident made it
difficult for disaster management team to conclude the rescue operations
despite the level of equipment deployed at the site.
He said: “The kind of experience we have in Port Harcourt as it
concerns the collapse building we have not had it anywhere else. The
way the building collapsed makes it very difficult for us to rescue
victims.
“You have to park everything before you could be able to bring
out anyone inside either alive or died, the building just fell down
flat, something must be wrong somewhere, Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike
has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the
collapsed building.
The governor also inaugurated the Judicial Commission of Inquiry
into the management and affairs of Integrated Medical Industries Limited
(Auto Disable Syringe). Wike performed the inauguration/ swearing of
the two Judicial Commissions of Inquiry yesterday at the Government
House, Port Harcourt.
The governor charged the commission to identify the owner of the
building and the holder of the certificate of occupancy, and ascertain
whether the architectural, engineering and structural designs of the
said building were undertaken by competent and licensed experts in
relevant fields.
He said: “To ascertain/identify the own- er, developer and/or
holder of the certificate of occupancy over and in respect of all that
piece or parcel of land situate and lying at 119 Woji Road, (Plot 80),
GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt.
“Ascertain whether the construction of the seven–storey
building on the said 119 Woji Road is covered by any valid or approved
building plan and/or whether requisite approvals were issued by the
appropriate ministry or agency of the Rivers State government prior to
the commencement of construction.”
Wike also charged the commission to ascertain whether
appropriate/necessary tests including soil tests were carried out to
ascertain the suitability of the site for construction of a building of
that size.
For the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the affairs
of Integrated Medical Industries Limited, the governor charged the
commission to ascertain how much the Rivers State government had
invested in the company.
The commission is to ascertain if funds and assets of Integrated
Medical Industries Limited were misappropriated during the period. Wike
also charged them to identify the persons who sold or converted the
properties of Integrated Medical Industries Limited. The commission’s
Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, assured the governor that the
commission would execute its assignment with the needed timeliness and
in line with the law.
He said his members would not disappoint the government and people
of Rivers State because the assignment touched the essence of humanity.
Also, the Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate
the affairs of the Integrated Medical Industries Limited, Justice Douye
Green, promised that the commission would work in accordance with the
terms of reference.
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