Abia govt to check building collapses, plans for standard material testing lab

The Abia State Executive Council has approved the setting up of a standard material testing laboratory in the state to ensure quality building and road construction standards.

Also, all illegal gates in the streets of Umuahia are to be removed by the Abia State government.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia on the outcome of the week’s Executive Council meeting presided by Governor Alex Otti.

He said the laboratory became necessary to tackle the incessant collapse of buildings in Nigeria, which had also been recording human and material losses.

“This government is trying to ensure that such instances do not occur in our state. The lab may include where they test materials for road construction. It will also provide a platform for research for those who want to carry out research in such areas” said Kanu.

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Throwing more light on the Standard Materials Testing Laboratory, General Manager, Umuahia Capital Development Authority, Mr Kingsley Agomuo explained that the Labs ensure that every housing, road construction and bridges in the state, meets the required standards, saying that it would be difficult for builders to get approval for their jobs unless they are subjected their materials for test in the laboratory.

According to the UCDA GM, there are many substandard building materials in the market being used for housing, roads and bridges but the laboratory would also be established in other parts of the state to handle soil tests, reinforcement of rods, aggregate materials and asphalt.

In another development, Abia State Government says all illegal gates in sine streets and other areas of Umuahia would be removed to enhance the free flow of traffic within Umuahia.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu noted that the presence of illegal gates impedes movements during emergencies and obstructs the free flow of traffic.

He advised those who installed the illegal gates to remove them or have them removed by the state government’s enforcement team.