The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria has visited the site of a partially collapsed on-going building project at the University of the Lagos.
ARCON said the aim of the visit was to get first-hand information on the incident.
The partially collapsed building is a seven-storey project, being proposed as university’s new library.
According to reports, while the construction was on-going, part of the building collapsed on Friday afternoon; there were no casualties.
As part of its mandate, ARCON, led by its President, Mr Dipo Ajayi, visited the site on Friday, but could not gain access as it had been sealed off.
Ajayi, alongside ARCON members including Mr Kayode Anibaba, Mr Adebayo Dipe and Mr Ladipo Lewis, met with the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Olutoyin Ogundipe, who briefed them on the incident.
Ogundipe said the site was sealed off immediately after the building collapsed.
He explained that following the incident, the Chairman of Council, University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin, had been notified and he had commenced investigations as well as other actions on the project.
The VC said the Federal Executive Council under Tetfund awarded the project as a fixed contract with counterpart funding from the university.
When the ARCON President asked if the consultants on the project were all registered consultants, with the project having Architect Project Registration Number; tests, reports and approvals at various stages of construction, the VC said they were given to the director of works.
Ajayi also raised the issue of soil test and foundation design with reference to the type, whether pilling or raft; if the project had planning approval; and that the project should have involved the university’s members of staff in the procurement and supervision of the contract.
At the meeting, the VC stated that the collapse occurred during casting at midday, and requested for another visit to the site, as the school’s management was not prepared for the ARCON’s team visit.
