19/12/2016
PRESS RELEASE
COLLAPSED REIGNERS BIBLE CHURCH INTERNATIONAL BUILDING, UYO: NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF TOWN PLANNERS (NITP), AKWA IBOM STATE CHAPTER’S POSITION.
The Chairman, the Executive Committee and the entire members of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Akwa Ibom State Chapter commiserate with His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, Government, and the good people of Akwa Ibom State, most particularly the families of victims of the collapsed Reigners Bible Church International building along Uyo Village Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The Institute appreciates the Government’s prompt response and gesture in catering for the medical needs of the affected persons.
It is pertinent to state categorically that the collapse church building site was not supposed to have been developed as the area was exclusively declared a conservation area in 2002 by the Government of Akwa Ibom State, because of the active erosion prone nature of the area. This we did not expect professionals from the built environment to be involved in the development of such a structure in that area without declassification and due approval from the Governor of the State.
Moreso, available official records show that the said development was carried out outside the ambit of the law as several contravention and stop-work notices dated 6th March 2013, 16th July 2014, 1st March 2016, 20th July 2016, and demolition marking /notice issued to the developer of the project on the 16th August, 2016 were blatantly ignored.
The Institute noted with sadness that the project developer, some professionals in the built environment and building artisans that participated in the development of the collapsed illegal structure were well aware that once a structure is marked “X” by the relevant authority, that no professional in the built environment and building artisan, have the right to continue with such development until cleared by the relevant authority(ies).
The Institute appreciates His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for his prompt action in setting up a panel of enquiry to ascertain the immediate and remote factors leading to the collapsed of the illegal church structure, and to bring to book professionals, artisans and cooperate entity(ies) found to be culpable in the ill fated structure. With this, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, therefore indicates its interest to cooperate with the panel of enquiry by offering professional inputs to the panel if required. The Institute is however worried that the panel of enquiry constituted by the Government to investigate the incident does not have a single Town Planner.
However, to forestall the re-occurrence of such incident in the state, the government should:
i. Urgently domesticate the 1992 Urban and Regional Planning Law which has been lying unattended to in the Ministry of Justice since 2012, to provide the needed legal framework for effective physical development control and management in the state.
ii. Adequate and appropriate staffing of the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Ministry of Lands & Town Planning, Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), the 30 Area Planning Authorities (APAs) for effective monitoring and control of illegal developments across the State.
iii. Akwa Ibom State Government should adequately fund and equip the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Area Planning Authorities (APAs) with appropriate equipment and vehicles such as bulldozers, pay loaders, Hilux Vans etc. for prompt development control action/operations in the state.
iv Adequate and appropriate security measures be taken by the Government to protect staff of development control agencies from unwarranted harassment, attack and loss of life from illegal developers in the State.
Once again, may the good Lord grant the souls of the departed perfect rest, provide fortitude for the families of the victims and speedy recovery for the wounded.
Finally we pledge our cooperation with the Government and the people Akwa Ibom State.
Thanks,
God bless you all.
Tpl. Dr. Beulah Ofem
Ag. Chairman
