By Daniel Tyokua
The acting Director -General (D-G), Federal Capital Territory Emergency Department (FEMD), Mrs Florence Wenegieme has said more efforts must be stepped up to curb the increasing cases of building collapse, fire outbreaks and flood in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
She stated this in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the efforts taken by the department.
Wenegieme said that the department has responded to seven emergencies between June 24 and July 13, out of which four were building collapsed, flood incident, fire outbreak and attempted suicide.
She said a flash flood occurred at Trademore Estate, Lugbe, on June 24 and a fire incident at old Karu Market on June 28.
According to her, the four building collapses included an incident on June 28 at Guzape District, and another at Prince and Princess Estate, on June 28, followed by the incident at Nkwere Street, Garki on July 1.
She added that the recent building collapse was the incident at Kubwa Phase II on July 13, while a suicide attempt was averted at Aso TV/Radio Mast, Katampe on July 8.
The D-G blamed the developments on residents’ attitude of dumping waste on water ways, non-adherence to Fire Safety and Building Codes, use of substandard electrical materials and illegal electrical connections.
Other factors, she added, include storage of volatile substances in markets and homes, high use of combustible materials in building construction, activities of quacks in building construction, and use of sub-standard construction materials.
She further identified contribution factors violation of building approval, carrying out maintenance work without regulatory approvals, and non-conduct of Environmental Impact Assessment before building construction among others.
On ways forward, Wenegieme called for the review of existing laws in the building industry to tackle the rising trend of building collapse like stiffer punishment for violators, especially when lives were lost.
She also called for the review of the Fire Safety Code to mandate the use of non-combustible materials in building construction to reduce risk of fire outbreaks.
