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Synagogue building erected under standard procedures, says construction company

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo
26 February 2015   |   8:33 pm
MANAGING Director of Hardrock Construction and Engineering Ltd, Mr. Akingbola Fatiregun yesterday told the Coroner Court investigating the cause of the collapse of a six-storey building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) that the construction of the structure followed standard procedures.    In his testimony, Fatiregun told Chief Magistrate Komolafe Oyetade that…

synagogue

MANAGING Director of Hardrock Construction and Engineering Ltd, Mr. Akingbola Fatiregun yesterday told the Coroner Court investigating the cause of the collapse of a six-storey building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) that the construction of the structure followed standard procedures.

   In his testimony, Fatiregun told Chief Magistrate Komolafe Oyetade that his company was contracted to supply the manpower and equipment for the six-storey building, while the church opted to supply the materials for the building.

   Fatiregun explained that the architectural and structural design of the building was done by another firm, which supervised the construction of the building by his company.

  He also told the court that although SCOAN supplied the materials for the building, his company took further steps to test the materials supplied to ensure that they were of high and quality standard, adding that materials supplied by SCOAN including sand, cement, quarry and reinforcement were of the best quality anywhere in the world.

   Fatiregun, who further told court that his 11 years old company had been engaged in major projects in Nigeria, Ghana, Niger and United States of America, explained that the construction was divided into two phases.

   According to him, the first phase was to raise the building up to the 4th floor while the second phase was to raise the building to the 6th floor. During the construction of the 1st phase, he explained that when any floor of the building was completed, the supervising firm would inspect and give approval before the construction of the next floor followed.

   Fatiregun also stated to the court that though the foundation of the building was meant for a six- storey building, it was constructed to carry addition four floors.

   He said the first phase was concluded in June 2010 while the second phase was completed in September 2013. He said that the project was handled by the church building committee, revealing that SCOAN’s founder, Prophet Temitope Joshua had no direct involvement in the project.

   Fatiregun also told court that he was shocked when he received the news that the building had come down, explaining that on his visit to the site of the collapsed building, he observed that the pattern of the collapse was inconsistent with structural defects and maintained that the collapse could have been caused by other factors.

   His word, “Structural failures have peculiar ways of occurring but this one was unusual. From my observation, the building came down symmetrically as if it was guided. The fall appeared as if a method of bringing down a building was applied.”

   He confirmed that during the inspection of the evacuation of the debris from the collapsed building along with official of the ministry of land, it was observed that the foundation was still intact, adding that Hardrock Construction participated in the rescue operation of the victims by providing personnel and equipment.

 

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