THE second Togolese rumoured to be among the dead is alive, according to top Anambra state official. Emeka Ezenwanne, the Anambra State commissioner for Housing, on October 20, who visited the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi where victims were receiving treatment, said the second Togolese survived the incident.

He was seen on his bed but still groaning under severe pains along with some other survivors from the building collapse that occurred on Oct. 17. His false death had gone viral.

However, of the two that were pulled out from the building dead, one was Togolese and the other a Nigerian.

The second Togolese, simply identified as Mr Collins, recalled his ordeal while being trapped in the debris and thanked the commissioner for his appearance for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Ezenwanne, then, prayed for his quick recovery alongside the other survivors. The commissioner pledged financial support for their treatment.

The commissioner and his entourage, who had visited the site of the collapse, described the incident as `unfortunate’.

According to him, his visit to the scene is aimed at encouraging the survivors while sympathising with relatives of the two unnamed deceased.

The nurses on duty at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital said seven other survivors, who sustained minor injuries were discharged after treatment.

Two other survivors Samuel Chukwuemeka, indigene of Ihiala, at the emergency unit receiving treatment, sustained leg injuries while Ebuka Dunu of Ozobulu sustained multiple injuries on his hand, waist and legs.

Dunu, who was still groaning under severe pains, said the experience was traumatising.

Ikenna Okpala and Nweke Kingsley Obiora, building experts from Anambra State Ministry of Housing Awka, observed that lately, building collapse had become rather too frequent and worrisome.

Okpala said that some of the causes of collapse include, use of quacks by clients, badly set foundation, poor supervision, absence of good reinforcements and bad concrete mixing.

Obiora on the other hand called on clients to employ only professional builders whose expertise would be relevant in all stages of the construction.

A three storey building under construction at Okpuno Otolo, Nnewi had on Oct. 17, collapsed and not less than 11 victims were pulled out of the site, with only two deaths.

– Oct. 23, 2018 @ 15:15 GMT