I take responsibility for collapsed market complex – Amosun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Friday said he has taken responsibility for the collapse of an Ultra – Modern Market complex being constructed at the Old Oyo road by the popular Itoku market, Abeokuta,

the Ogun state capital.

A wing of the dual four – storey market complex caved – in around 9am, killing one person – Mrs Noimat Sikiru (a nursing mother), and injuring seven others out of about 18 workers who resumed work there in the morning.

Amosun who was sighted coordinating the rescue efforts at the scene of the collapsed structure, said he would not leave the location until the excavators and rescue team had gotten to ground zero to ascertain that nobody is still trapped in the rubbles.

Speaking with reporters on ground, he said the state government would investigate the incident to establish what caused the structure to crumble down.

Amosun said: “I take full responsibility of what happened here, not even the Commissioner for works can take the responsibility because when the glory comes we share it together but if anything goes wrong, I take the blame so I take full responsibility but we are going to get to the root of the matter”.

“As early as 9 o’clock in the morning, the workers were here as always, 16 all together as we have told and a little minute after 9am we have this partial collapse of this building.

“Out of those 16, eight came out immediately the building collapsed and the remaining 8 they were hurriedly taken to the hospital, one unfortunately died on the way to the hospital, two were discharged immediately because they sustained minor injuries. The remaining five are still at the hospital, they also sustained minor injuries”.

“We can’t leave this place the way it is, because it is better for us to act under caution we are not that comfortable with the way this place is and that is why we have to get to what we called ground zero and we will get there before we leave here today because we want to be sure that nobody is still trapped under the collapse.

“The most important thing to us is to ensure that no further lives are lost. We will leave here until we are sure that nobody is still trapped in there.

“We are going to find out the cause of the collapse. When you look at this building particularly you will discover that the topography of this side of the building is lower and that is why we have the basement here and sure the engineers and everybody else will get to the root of the matter”.

“We didn’t pray for this but we are going to double check other buildings of the State projects to determine their structural viability. We are very saddened about the fact that we lost a live, we have gotten across to the members of his family.
Source