FENRAD Demands Statewide Building Safety Audit After Aba High-Rise Escape from Disaster By Raymond Enoch
The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has called for an immediate statewide structural integrity audit of high-rise buildings and other public-use facilities across Abia State following the controlled demolition of a distressed four-storey residential building in Aba that experts declared unsafe.
The environmental advocacy organisation described the incident as a critical warning for authorities to strengthen building regulation enforcement before more lives are put at risk.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, FENRAD commended the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) for its swift intervention after structural experts identified severe foundation defects in the building located at No. 71 Clifford Road, Aba, which posed an imminent risk of collapse.
According to the organisation, GADA’s Building Control Unit, Engineering Department and Town Planning Department acted promptly by carrying out a structural assessment, evacuating residents, securing the area and ordering a controlled demolition to avert what it described as a potential disaster.
FENRAD said the decisive action demonstrated responsible governance and underscored the importance of effective building control systems in protecting lives and property.
However, the organisation warned that the incident exposed broader concerns over the safety of aging and poorly maintained buildings across Aba and other urban centres in Abia State.
It noted that Nigeria’s recurring building collapse tragedies continue to reveal deep-rooted challenges, including the use of substandard construction materials, inadequate soil investigations, poor engineering designs, weak foundations, unauthorized structural alterations, poor workmanship, corruption in building approval processes and weak regulatory oversight.
“The incident should serve as a wake-up call for government institutions, developers, construction professionals and property owners to strengthen compliance with building regulations and safety standards,” the statement said.
FENRAD urged the Abia State Government and GADA to immediately launch a comprehensive structural integrity assessment covering residential apartments, schools, hospitals, markets, hotels, shopping plazas, worship centres, office complexes and other facilities with high human occupancy, particularly older buildings showing signs of structural distress.
The group also called for increased investment in GADA’s technical capacity through the recruitment of more professionals, improved inspection mechanisms, deployment of modern monitoring equipment and strict enforcement of building regulations without political interference.
Among its recommendations, FENRAD advocated compulsory geotechnical investigations and structural certification before approval of multi-storey developments, digitisation of building approval and compliance systems, establishment of an independent Building Safety Review Committee, creation of a public emergency reporting platform for distressed buildings and tougher sanctions against developers, contractors, consultants and public officials found culpable of violating building standards.
The organisation further urged professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), to work closely with government agencies in promoting ethical practice, quality assurance and continuous monitoring of construction activities.
FENRAD also demanded a transparent investigation into the structural failure at No. 71 Clifford Road to determine whether the building complied with approved designs, construction standards and statutory inspection requirements, insisting that anyone found responsible should face the full weight of the law.
The advocacy group encouraged residents to report visible warning signs such as widening cracks, tilting walls, sinking foundations, exposed reinforcement bars and unusual structural movements, stressing that public vigilance remains vital to preventing avoidable disasters.
Describing building safety as a fundamental human rights issue, FENRAD reaffirmed its commitment to promoting environmental justice, disaster risk reduction, sustainable urban development and stronger institutional accountability.
The organisation pledged continued collaboration with government agencies, professional bodies, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to advance policies that enhance environmental governance, strengthen public safety standards and protect lives and property across Nigeria.
