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SPOTLIGHTS
- The collapsed building did not receive any official construction approvals
- Foundation problems identified as the primary cause of the collapse
- The NBRRI conducting thorough investigations and will release a public report
From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
The Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has revealed that preliminary evidence collected so far shows that the collapsed Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha centenary building, did not get the necessary approvals from relevant authorities.
Professor Akaolisa Ezeagu, Chairman of the NBRRI Technical Team on Building Collapse in Anambra State, said there was no authorisation from any quarters before such a gigantic structure was erected.
Akaolisa, who is the Head of the Civil Engineering Department at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, attributed the collapse to foundation problems, which he said were a result of a disconnect between the building team and the technical engineer.
Read also: Onitsha building collapse: DMGS confirms casualty, says investigation ongoing
He said buildings of such magnitude should be subjected to all construction approval processes, including those from a central authority, adding that preliminary investigations also point towards a foundation problem.
“We have seen that there was a gap between the technical engineer and the construction team in terms of the foundation the technical engineer prescribed and the one the construction team used.
“Again, the document they gave us had no approval stamps by any known authority, which should not be the case.
“The drawings we saw had no stamp of any central approval to show that it had been studied and given a seal of approval to commence.
“This type of building should get approval from a central body in the state, which will thoroughly go through the documents submitted by the architect, engineers, and look for gaps, and where there is none, construction will be approved,” he said.
Ezeagu, who described the incident as unfortunate, said the essence of the exercise was mainly fact-finding, which involves establishing negligence, concerns, and possible improvements.
He said the team had collected samples for a series of tests, including soil, granite, reinforcement, and cast for beams.
The expert expressed worry over the number of building collapses in the Onitsha metropolis and recommended detailed research on the type of soil and the height of building it could carry.
He commended the school and building team for cooperating with the NBRRI Technical Team by providing them with all the information that would aid their investigation.
“We have interacted with the principal of the school and the consultant, and the building team has supplied us with all the information, including building drawings, building calculations, and soil investigation.
“There are areas that are originally designed for non-high-rise buildings, and if you must build high-rise buildings in such places, then you must go the extra mile.
“Based on the history of this area, the highest floor here is three or four, and if you want to go for six floors, it requires that you must do something different from what other people here have done,” he said.
Ezeagu said the details of their findings would be captured in a report which would be gazetted and made accessible to members of the public upon conclusion, as soon as possible.
