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Worried by the incessant collapse of buildings and attendant loss of lives, the Anambra State Government on Wednesday unveiled series of directives targeted to mitigate the negative occurrence and engender sanity in the state’s building and approval processes.
The directives were announced by the Executive Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board, ANSPPB, Barr Chike Maduekwe, during a press conference at the ANSPPB headquarters in Awka, Anambra State Capital.
The state government is saying that the spate of buildings collapse is becoming alarming and has directed that effective immediately, all permits for ongoing construction projects are hereby suspended, while all developers handling projects are required to bring their approval documents for revalidation.
Insisting that the state government is not revoking all existing building permits, Maduekwe said it is ordering its revalidation to be sure that the approval given is what the developer is building.
“Because most Developers after obtaining building permit approval do not engage relevant professionals in the Built industry, Anambra State Physical Planning Board will now audit and ensure that these Professionals have been engaged in all ongoing constructions.
“This is an already existing requirement in the building regulation, but because there is shortage of personnel, developers get approval and begin to do what they like.
“Also, any development that commences without 7 days prior notice to ANSPPB will be deemed illegal and is liable to be demolished and the developer will be made to face the full embrace of the law. During the audit, any buildings that are found to have structural integrity issues will be subjected to non-destructive testing (NDT) by the Material Testing laboratory, which the law requires us to collaborate with.
“Furthermore, soil investigation report has now become a mandatory requirements for most constructions in Anambra State and all buildings above two floors must submit Geotechnical surveys, failing which there will be severe penalties. This is because in the past, we found that most of these building that collapse have to do with the soil and the kind of foundation put in place,” he said.
Barr Maduekwe revealed that the state government will now hire Professional consultants nominated by professional bodies, structural engineers, architects, to monitor construction sites and vet plans statewide.
He also said the Board plans to intensify efforts on statutory stage inspections as well as signing of stage certification forms by relevant professionals, who will be liable for any building failure or collapse, not government staff.
Maduekwe further revealed that buildings under construction that have been abandoned for 5 years and above, will need to be recertified before the recommencement of construction work on it to ascertain the structural stability of the building.
Continuing, Maduekwe said; “Government hereby directs that nobody shall be allowed to pass the night in any building undergoing construction and construction works must not go beyond 7:00pm every day. If you notice, most of these buildings collapse at night and developers must ensure that such does not happen again.
“Effective immediately, all developers will now be required to comply with the compulsory insurance Act of 2003 of Builders’ liability and Public Liability Insurance before they can be granted building permit approvals. The reason is to protect the workers and the public who work in the site and who come around the building site.
“The contractor who has this insurance in place under the insurance act is protected from the legal liabilities arising from any damage to property, collapse, injury or death to any person arising from the Development / Construction.
“Also, all Professionals involved in any Development must present to ANSPPB their Professional Indemnity Insurance alongside the letter of undertaking before the Building permit approval will be granted to the project they are supervising.”