By Daniel Tyokua
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered for immediate free treatment of those injured in a two storey building that collapsed on Lagos street at Garki area of Abuja on Thursday.
He asked the permanent secretary FCT Administration Olusade Adesola to make funds available to foot the bill of those that injured.
Wike, who stated this when he visited the site of the scene with minister of state for the FCT, and other top management of the administration, applauded the ongoing rescue efforts and said, “It’s unfortunate that we woke this morning to the very disturbing news of this building collapse.
Recall that in the early hours of Thursday, two persons were confirmed dead while 37 others were rescued after a two storey building collapse.
Head, public affairs FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Nkechi Isah confirmed the scene.
She said a combined team of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps,(FRSC),FCT Police Command and Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) are carrying out the on rescue operation.
According to Wike, “It is not what we contemplated. Let me thank the agencies particularly NEMA and FEMA that has supported us to rescue not less than 32 lives. Its unfortunate that we lost two lives. I will appeal to the Permanent Secretary to make sure that funds are raised to pay the hospital bills of those who were rescued so that we don’t lose any more person, and this should be done immediately.
“These are the things we have been saying, nobody knows whose turn it will be, therefore when government says it will take actions in areas we believe there are illegal developments or buildings that don’t comply with the standard codes. It is not as if anybody has any personal vendetta, but for me, it is for us to do the right thing.
“I don’t know why it has taken long that the FCTA has not resettled them and so we will take immediate action to see that the indigenes of these place are resettled and then government has to plan out this place.
“When government says take building plan, it is not to suffer anybody but to make sure that everyone is protected. Cities are planned to forestall this kind of occurrences. Imagine buildings without approval. I will ask that we must identify and arrest the owner of this property.
“It”s very important. Government will of course take over this area and make sure no further development is carried out here” he said.
