Some engineers have described the building collapse in Lagos State on Monday as “unfortunate and a pathetic national loss’’.
The National Emergency Management Agency Coordinator for Lagos State, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye via text message on Wednesday said that the death toll had climbed to 22 after several bodies were recovered overnight. Nine people were pulled out alive.
The engineers gave the reaction while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The building located at Gerrard Road was said to have been approved by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA) to build 15 storeys, instead, the developers built it up to 21-storeys.
Mr Sharafadeen Olumoh, a National Officer of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers (NICE) said the building collapse was an unfortunate occurrence, which was as a result of greed on the part of the developers.
Olumoh, who is also a member of Engineering Regulations Monitoring Committee in Kwara, reported that the institute heard that the professional that was in charge of the construction resigned from the work when the developer would not listen to his professional advice.
Speaking on what the engineering body could do to prevent such calamity from happening again, Olumoh said the professional bodies had their limitations.
