… ASMATU President General, Amawbia Regent Speak
The financier of the collapsed toilet facility at Eke Amawbia in Awka South Local Goverment Area of Anambra State, Engr Ralph Arinze Anyadiegwu, has alleged sabotage by known and unknown rivals in the unfortunate incident.
Speaking after visiting and speaking with some of the victims, Engr Anyadiegwu called on the government to thoroughly investigate the incident and bring those found culpable to justice.
During the visit, the project financier and founder of ‘The Ralph Arinze Anyadiegwu Foundation’, RAAF, gave a victim, Mrs Josephine Anaekwe, N50k cash for provision, promised to settle her hospital bill and place her on a salary of 50k for six months after recovery; saying that he doesn’t want her to continue selling of vegetables, just as he promised to assist in burying the deceased and sponsor their children up to university education.
He noted that government gave allocation and approval to embark on building the structures, and that he has completed about hundred buildings still standing at the market with the Construction Engineer that built his own house, adding that instead of 8 pillars, the collapsed toilet facility has about 30 pillars with 16mm rods to ensure structural integrity.
The Amawbia-born philanthropist informed that he personally supervised buying of material and construction of works to ensure standard, and that he has been interviewed by the Police, Awka Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, and other relevant bodies over the collapse incident.
He regretted that he was sabotaged days after he received award by the Anambra State Local Goverment Service Commission for his people-oriented programmes through his foundation, RAAF, adding that he would have been a victim too if not by God’s saving grace.
Engr Anyadiegwu however thanked the Police and other relevant bodies for helping in rescue operations when the building collapsed.
While thanking Engr Anyadiegwu for visiting his mother at the hospital and making offers, son of a victim, Mr Chukwudi Anaekwe; from Umueze Anam said it was by God’s grace that his 56-year old mother is still alive.
Contributing, the President General, Awka South Market Amalgamated Traders Union, ASMATU, Ozor Comrade Anayo Nweke, who commended the Police and others for rescue efforts at the collapse scene, also called for thorough investigation to unravel immediate and remote causes of the incident, just as he announced that the the union has equally set up a panel made up of professionals to investigate the incident and make recommendations.
Speaking on the matter earlier, the regent of Amawbia (Osoje-eze), Ozor Architect Nnaemeka Mike Maduka, who described the building collapse as a tragedy, maintained that many of such cases in the recent time require that state and federal governments rise to curtail them.