By Daniel Chibuike
The government of Abia State has reaffirmed its commitment to sustain efforts in ensuring that all projects are of international approved standard.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the President of Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Sadiq Zubair Abubakar and his team of engineers at the Government House, Umuahia, Governor Alex Otti, who was represented by his Deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, condemned the increase in substandard building materials in the Nigerian market and enjoined the COREN and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) to lead the fight against the ugly menace.
Otti said that building material laboratories would be built in Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia areas of the State to test building materials that were to be used for building of houses, roads and other infrastructure.
Furthermore, the Governor explained how his administration inherited a dilapidated State and had put more effort into rebuilding and reconstructing the State.
“We have been getting information concerning badly built structures and those structures have failed integrity test, and as a government we will pull such structures down,” he said.
He explained that some markets that were in very bad shape were pulled down by his administration to save the occupants from dying during building collapse.
Speaking earlier, the president of COREN, Sadiq Zubair Abubakar told the Governor that his Council would partner the State government in regulating buildings, road construction and other engineering activities to tackle unwholesome activities.