Okpoko Building Collapse: Ojukwu Condemns Illegal Structure, Orders Demolition
By Chukwuka Ugokwe
The Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Bar. Chijioke Ojukwu, has on Oct 8, described the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area, as unfortunate.
The incident, which occurred in the Anata Anaba area of the town, claimed the lives of a middle-aged woman and her 14-year-old daughter, amid allegations that warnings about the safety of the building had been ignored.
The victims, identified as Happiness Ugoagu and her daughter, Chikaima, were reportedly asleep in their bedroom when the building collapsed onto their residence.
Ojukwu, who visited the scene alongside officials of the ministry, alleged that substandard materials had been used in the construction. He also disclosed that a stop-work notice had previously been served on the building.
Describing the structure as illegal, the commissioner ordered its demolition, alongside other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Nnamdi Ifejika, has expressed deep sadness over the incident and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
Ifejika, who personally led a delegation to the scene, described the incident as a painful tragedy that had brought immense sorrow to the affected family and the wider community.
