Ebonyi Assembly Orders Probe Of Collapsed Centenary Tower

Ebonyi State House of Assembly, yesterday ordered an investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the collapse, over the weekend, of the centenary tower under construction.

The house described the collapse of the N60m edifice as a huge embarrassment to the government and people of the state.

The house took the decision following a motion brought by the member representing Onicha East Constituency, Obasi Odefa. 

The lawmaker in his motion regretted that the state has lost huge amount of money to the collapse of the building.

He, therefore, called on the house to mandate its committee on works to launch an investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the collapse.

All those involved in the construction especially the contractor and the State Ministry of Works, he said should be summoned to make presentations on the matter.

Other speakers who spoke also supported the call by Odefa.

The motion was put to a voice vote and the whole house voted in the affirmative.

Speaker Chukwuma Nwazunku directed the Works Committe to immediately commence investigations on the collapse with a view to finding out the remote and immediate causes of the collapse.

The Committee, which is headed by Mabel Aleke representing Ohaukwu South, has two weeks to conclude its report and brief the house accordingly.

The Centenary Tower being built by the State Government at the entrance of Ochudo secretariate in Abakaliki, collapsed at the weekend.

The tower was being built at the cost of N60million to commemorate the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorate of the country in 1914 by the British government.

The tower has two parts,the concrete two story base and an iron tower on top.

It was the iron tower that fell obviously due to a strong gust of windstorm that was experienced in the city on Saturday night.

The concrete two story base was not affected. No injuries or lives were lost in the incident.

Commissioner for Works, Chukwuma Nwandiugo said he will brief the media on the incident  after he has  briefed governor Martin Elechi.

He noted that the project was initiated, awarded and is being supervised by the works sub-committee of the State's Centenary Committee and not his ministry.

He, however, maintained that the incident was caused by a natural disaster and not as a result of poor quality of work.

When our reporter visited the scene of the incident, some workers were seen dismantling the destroyed tower even as heaps of the coverings were seen lying beside the tower.

Chairman of the Centenary Committee and former Deputy Governor of the state, Prof Chigozie Ogbu could not be reached for comment.

He did not answer calls placed to his phone was yet to reply SMS messages sent to him.

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki