Ochanja market collapsed building, possibly caused by foundation--TC Chairman

Titus Maduako Eleweke

The Transition Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Council of Anambra State Chief Emeka Joseph Orji has attributed the possible cause for the CollapsedOchanja market building to foundation.
Orji made the statement while appearing before the Anambra State Probe Panel into the collapsed buildings in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The chairman had earlier submitted the building plan of the project , which is a storey building against the collapse built two storey building.
After the submission of the building plan,the chairman of the Panel Engr. Victor Meju asked him ,if he knew any possible reason that caused the building to collapse,he replied foundation.

According to him,the original plan for the building was one storey but two storey was erected.

He said the foundation for building was meant for a storey building,and possibly the foundation could not carry the weight of a two storey building.

The chairman also revealed that his council was sidelined in the building of the market despite it was domicile in his local government.
He said he conceptualised the project but during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding MoU, the Executive chairman of Anambra State Urban Regeneration Council AURC Micheal Okonkwo and chairman of Anambra State Investments Promotion and Protection (ANSIPPA) Mike Okoye pushed him out of the project.
According to him,they told him that he should not be part of the project and he stayed away from it till it collapsed.

"Iam the TC chairman of the council and I should be involve in the project within my council. After they sidelined me ,I had to stop my involvement in the project" he said .
On whether he know that he is the chairman of the council and he should supervise the market project under him, he replied that some people from Awka hijacked the project from him.

On what was actually the cause of the collapse ,he said the building was meant for a storey but two storey building was built.
He however revealed that some people from Awka have been interfering in the affairs of the council and there is need for clearer definition of roles of the council in markets and parks in the state.
Confirming,the chairman position,the secretary of the council, Mr Paul Onuachalla said that there are much interference from those in Awka to running of the Council.
He pleaded with panel to find space in their recommendations to spell out in clear term the roles of council in commercial, markets, public buildings construction regulations as per 1999 constitution as amended. Chairman invited the Council Secretary to submit memorandum in this regard on or before 16th July 2024.

Earlier, the chairman of the Oanel,Engr Victor Meju had lambasted the Journalists who covered the first sitting accusing them of creating another chairman of the panel.
The journalists had reported that the DMGS Collapsed five Storey centenary building had no approval plan and one of the engineers that handled the project had not renewed his practicing licences for 25 years.
He was not happy with the report and said that ,the job of the journalists would have been to announce the commencement of the panel and not go into the details report.
He threatened to walk out the journalists out of the panel if not he knew one of them as senior journalist.
He further likened the senior journalist to Soludo Facebook TV,who he said did a better Job.