The investigative panel set up by the Lagos State government to determine the cause of the collapse of a 21-Storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi last year, has submitted its report to the state governor.
Toyin Ayinde, the panel’s chairmanm submitted the report to governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House, Ikeja 60 days after it was set up by the state government.
On November 1, 2021, Nigerians witnessed one of the worst building collapses in the country as a 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi tumbled, claiming over 40 lives.
The sad incident forced the governor to set up the panel on November 4, 2021, to find the cause (s) of the incident and make recommendations to prevent future episodes.
Sanwo-Olu, who received the report, further set up a four-man committee as a first step towards implementing the report submitted by the panel.
The committee will be led by Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, an engineer and the commissioner for Special Duties. Other members are Hakeem Muri-Okunola, head of Service; Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), commissioner for Justice and attorney-general, and Abisola Olusanya, commissioner for Agriculture, who is also an architect.
While commending members of the panel for their commitment and quick response to the assignment given to them by the State Government, the governor said the committee would bring forward a report to be considered by the Lagos State executive council.
On his part, Ayinde, presenting the report to the governor, said members of the Tribunal took up the responsibility with the greatest sense of humility, and discharged the duty to its best ability.
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He also noted that the tribunal was fair in its report as it considered all issues and documents fairly, while also adding that the panel acted based on documents presented to it.
“…We therefore seek protection as members of this tribunal to be seen as having discharged this assignment to the best of our ability, without sentiments, and that we have acted based on the documents that were made available to us, as well as the information gathered from all the witnesses who appeared before the tribunal,” the chairman said.
According to the chairman, in the course of the investigation, the tribunal received and reviewed documents from relevant MDAs, conducted 35 interview sessions, interrogated a total of 91 persons, requested and received a total of 21 memoranda.
It further got submissions from professional associations, groups and individuals, and visited the site of the collapsed building, as well as the home of the late CEO of Fourscore Heights Limited, Femi Osibona, where it retrieved some documents which he said helped the tribunal in gaining further insights into the processes that led to the construction and eventual collapse of the structure.
The incessant cases of collapsed buildings are as a result of collapsed values, morals and ethics, the chairman lamented.
“We cannot sow the wind and not expect to reap the whirlwind. Therefore, ethics and due diligence need to be restored,” he said, adding that the report, if implemented, would help the government to bring a lasting solution to the incidence of building collapse, not only in Lagos State, but nationally.
