The Benue State Executive Council, EXCO, has declared a state of emergency on infrastructure in the State.
It has also approved the demolition of all illegal structures, including those on waterways in the State .
Briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Tiza Imojime, disclosed that the Council also frowned at the collapsed church building at the North Bank area in Makurdi, which claimed the life of a pastor.
In early hours of Tuesday, 3rd of October., one of the branches of Dunamis International Gospel church collapsed at the North Bank area of Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
While some were lucky to have narrowly escaped, a pastor identified as Emmanuel Baba died.
A worrisome development that immediately attracted the state Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia’s attention.
He called for the immediate evacuation of nearby buildings in the environment.
The issue was also raised at the State Executive Council meeting presided over by the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode
Briefing newsmen, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, disclosed that council approved that all structures within the State that have failed structural integrity tests and those built on waterways, should be demolished.
The exco also directed the Ministry of Cooperatives, Rural and Urban Development, Works and Housing as well as that of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, to carry out an integrity test on the collapsed church building with the aim of ascertaining the cause of the collapse to enable the government to make an informed decision.
