Collapsed Building: 42 Witnesses Testify At Panel … As Red Cross, Rotary Lament Loss Of Members

The panel of inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government to look into the circumstances surrounding the collapsed seven – storey building in GRA Woji axis in Port Harcourt last year, says a total of 42 witnesses have so far appeared before it in nine days of its sitting.
The Chairman of the commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli stated this while reviewing the progress made so far by the commission after the Monday sitting, and added that the commission was not intending to extend date.
He said that the commission was mandated by the state government to conclude and turn in its recommendations within 30 days and added that they were working tirelessly to ensure that they meet with the time frame.
He disclosed that the commission intended to recall some witnesses who had already testified before it for purposes of clarity and added that the recall of the affected witnesses was to put the records straight .
Justice Enebeli announced that Treasure Base Co-operative Insurance Society Ltd and others were invited to appear before it today to give their own evidence as the commission resumed from its one-day break.
Meanwhile, the President of Rotary Club, Gateway branch, Rotr, Sotonye Oruwani Nwanchukwu and Red Cross member, Yibotemeka A. Kalio have said that their organisations lost a member each to the collapsed building saga.
The duo stated this when they appeared before the commission on Monday to give evidence on their roles with regard to the collapsed building under investigation.
They told the commission that they played the role of rescue of victims as well as rendering humanitarian services during the one month evacuation period at the collapsed building site.
Mr Kalio however, told the commission that the Red Cross Society, a non- governmental human agency deployed 58 members during the rescue operations and added that a total of 19 dead bodies were recovered from the collapsed building.
The chairman of the commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli while commending the organisations for their humanitarian services rendered promised to make recommendations to government in other to assuage their sufferings during the period under review.