Collapsed 21-Storey Building: Owner Was Warned Of Its Structural Defects-Consultant
It has been revealed that the disaster that followed the collapsed 21-storey building in Lagos, today, could have been averted, if the developer had heeded an earlier warning that it had some structural defects.
Many workers were feared trapped, while eyewitness put the numbers of the dead, (including the owner, Mr Femi Osibona) recovered from the rubble of the collapsed building, under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, variously at two and five, as at 4:30pm.
A letter, dated 20 February, 2020, already circulating on the social media, indicated that Osibona (now feared dead), was forewarned of some technical defects in the concrete strength of the 21-storey building.
The letter, “RE: Proposed Gerrard Terraces For Fourscore Limited”, by Muritala Olawale, Managing Director of Prowess Engineering Limited, 30A, Ladoke Akintola Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, was addressed to Osibona of Fourscore Heights Limited, 44BCD Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Olawale had indicated in the letter that his company wanted to withdraw its structural consultancy service from the project, having noticed defects in how the project was being executed.
It was also stated in the letter that Prowess Engineering Limited no longer shared same vision with Fourscore Heights Limited on the integrity of the construction works on the building.
“This letter is to formally inform you of the withdrawal of our structural consultancy service from the above named project.
“We arrived at this decision due to the fact that we no longer share same vision with you as our client in terms of how the project is being executed.
“We can guarantee the integrity of the first two buildings and also works done up to the fourth floor of the third building supervised by us, provided specifications have been met in terms of the required concrete strength.
“This we do not have control over as we do not have the concrete cube test results for each stage of the building till date,” Olawale stated in the letter.
He thus declared that his company would not be held responsible for any construction errors on the project and demanded that his company name and logo should be removed from the project broad.
“Also, kindly note that we are not taking responsibilities for any other construction errors that may have occurred over time on the project.
“Furthermore, we request that our company’s name and logo be removed from the project board and also kindly notify all necessary approving authorities of our withdrawal from the project.
“We regret this decision and the lost opportunity to do business together. We look forward to future cooperation in other projects,” Olawale concluded in the letter.
