Ikoyi Building Collapse: Tribunal asks construction experts to submit memoranda

So far, the tribunal has had to set up the secretariat and arrange logistics for its assignment.

News Agency of Nigeria • November 22, 2021

Ikoyi collapsed building

The tribunal of inquiry into the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has called on construction stakeholders to submit memoranda on the incident.

Making the announcement at a press briefing Monday in Lagos, chairman of the tribunal, Toyin Ayinde, said all memoranda should be emailed to lagosgerrardtribunal@gmail.com and must be received on or before Wednesday, November 24, 2021.

He said that the six-member tribunal began sitting immediately after its inauguration on Thursday, November 4 and had received some documents from some government MDAs, which members of the tribunal had started studying.

According to him, the tribunal began formal interviews with witnesses on Tuesday, November 16 in order to identify the roles played in the build up to the collapse.

“The tribunal received the report from the consultants who conducted verticality tests on the remaining structures standing in the premises of the collapsed building. The results of the tests on the construction materials are still being awaited.

“The interviews conducted have been recorded for the purpose of record-keeping, and the Tribunal would meet as many as are willing to present credible and factual statements, with evidence(s), relating to the collapse.

“We have also interviewed some of the Lagos State Government staff in the relevant MDAs.

Mr Ayinde said that so far the activities of the tribunal had included setting up the secretariat and arranging logistics for the successful conduct of activities.

He said that the tribunal had visited the site of the collapse for a general assessment of the rescue operations, and to determine areas where expert consultants’ services would be required.

The chairman said that members of the tribunal also visited the General Hospital, Broad Street, to interview some of the survivors, who could offer some eyewitness accounts.

Mr Ayinde said that the tribunal had listed more than 30 stakeholders relevant to the construction industry and the collapsed building, whose views, position papers and recommendations would be received and considered.

He said that those that the tribunal considered necessary to chat with would be invited.

(NAN)

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