The Commissioner for Urban Development, Rivers State, Dr.
Tammy Danagogo, has called for professionalism in the erection of buildings,
following the collapse of a three storey building in Port Harcourt.

Speaking during the inspection of the collapsed building,
Dr. Danagogo stated that developers have failed to use professionals in all
aspect of building their houses beginning from drawing to the approval of the
building plan from the Ministry and the actual building. He advised developers
to bring their building plans to the Ministry for proper scrutiny by different
professional bodies for approval before such buildings can be erected to avoid
further collapse.

According to him, the said building plan of the collapse
three story building was not professionally done and so called for the arrest
of all the people involved in the drawing approval of the building plan.

He therefore advised members of the public to desist from
using touts in building plans approval. He further advised members of the
public to come to the one stop shop in the Ministry of Urban Development and
Physical Planning where the entire building plan in the State are checked by
professional bodies before the final approval by the commissioner.

In a related development, the commissioner promised to
partner with the National Human Right on subsequent compensation to Rivers
State Waterfronts landlords. He made the promise in Port Harcourt during the
courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission
Prof. Ben Angwe.

Dr. Danagogo commended the efforts of the Executive
Secretary and his 13-man committee in the investigation of the allegations and
to dialogue with the state Government. He pointed environmental hazards,
security risks as some of the reason for the ejection, in addition to non
habitability of the area.

Speaking further, he explained government efforts in
dialoging and agreeing with the landlords before compensation was dully paid to
the Abonema Wharf landlords before demolition.

In his response, Prof. Ben Angwe said their aim of coming to
the state is to verify the petition and allegation by the landlords of Abonema
Wharf.

He confessed that after sighting the area, he confirmed that
the site is not habitable but pleaded with the state government to give
sufficient time for the landlords and tenants to vacate and equally pay
adequate compensation before demolition.

Prof. Angwe thanked the commissioner for his audience