By Olusegun Olanrewaju
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has told a coroner inquest into the November 1, 2021 collapse of the 21-storey building at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, that construction of the three high-rise blocks began well ahead of provisional approval.
Counsel for LASBCA, A.S Odugbemi, made the assertion while questioning the Managing Director of Prowess Engineering Nigeria Ltd, Muritala Olawale,
Olawale was a former consultant structural engineer to the project. He withdrew his services via a letter dated February 20, 2020, over disputes on how the project was structurally executed.
At the coroner’s proceedings on Tuesday, Odugbemi disputed the contents of paragraph 17 of Olawale’s Statement on Oath to the Inquest stating that owner of the property and Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd, the late Femi Osibona, had informed his team that he had received provisional approval for the project’s construction.
Olawale said in the statement on oath that Osibona showed his team a copy of the provisional approval from the Lagos State Government and ordered them to commence construction on the site.
But disputing Olawale’s claims, Odugbemi said LASBCA never granted Osibona a provisional planning permit when the team moved to the site to commence construction in January 2019.
He stated that LASBCA only granted provisional approval in April 2019.
“Will you be surprised if the evidence is provided to you right now that work had started before the provisional planning approval was granted in April 2019?” Odugbemi asked.
Olawale said in response, “I will be surprised. All the approval processes were being handled by the client (Osibona).”
He did not give a specific answer to Odugbemi’s query on whether the three high-rise blocks were covered by a general insurance policy as required by law.
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Olawale, however, informed the panel that prior to construction, a soil test was conducted at the site by another company contracted to do the job.
“We have submitted the result of the soil test of the site to other panels investigating the collapse,” he said.
Of the three high-rise buildings (Blocks A, B, and C) which were situated on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Block B (21-storeys) collapsed on November 1, killing 46 persons, while 15 persons were rescued alive.
The owner/contractor to the project, Femi Osibona, died in the incident.
