Collapsed building: Imo Assembly summons OCDA boss, sets up investigation committee 

The General Manager of Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, Innocent Ikpamezie, has been invited by the Imo State House of Assembly to set the record straight on the root cause of the collapsed 8-storey building in Owerri, the state capital.

The state Assembly led by Chiji Collins at the plenary on Wednesday, resolved to recommend appropriate sanctions against any individual or government functionary that compromised standard which led to the collapse of the building.

The resolution followed a motion co-sponsored by members representing Oru-West State Constituency, Dominic Ezerioha and Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu who is representing Nwangele state constituency in Imo House of Assembly.

Leading debate, Dominic Ezerioha expressed regret over the loss of over 30 persons in the incident, stressing the need for the state to urgently create an emergency response team in OCDA or Imo Housing Corporation that will rise up to any emergency situation.

He noted that some building engineers have failed to conform to the approved government standard and structural formations in building plans.

He described the situation as unfortunate, urging the state government to check on all corporate and commercial buildings in the state to ascertain their relevant approvals.

Meanwhile, the House has set up a 7-man ad-hoc committee to investigate the root cause of the building collapse.

The committee is chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, who doubles as House committee chairman on OCDA.