By Musa Yaro, Calabar
The Cross River State government has identified negligence and sub-standard building materials as the cause of the collapse of a 2-storey building at Nta Eke Street, along Efio-Ette axis of Ikot Ishie in Calabar Municipality.
One person has been reported dead and several others injured at the scene of the collapsed building.
The state governor, Ben Ayade has also directed the deployment of officials of relevant ministries and agencies to coordinate rescue efforts as well as provide security and medical support to those injured.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Eric Anderson in a statement on Saturday, noted that a number of persons trapped in the collapsed building have been rescued and taken to hospital for proper treatment.
“Preliminary investigations into the incident indicate that the cause of the building collapse is not unconnected to negligence and use of substandard building materials which had earlier attracted the attention of the state ministry of urban renewal to issue the builder an advisory stop work notice which was altogether ignored by the builder.
“Government appreciates the quick intervention of the House of Assembly member-elect for Calabar Municipality, Stanley Nsemo for providing excavator and emergency relief materials as well as collaborating with the ministry of health to ensure that ambulances were on the ground to convey affected persons to the hospital.”
He assured residents that a full investigation shall be carried out to checkmate a recurrence in the future.
