Ambode Okays Prosecution Of Synagogue,Engineers

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, says he will enforce the verdict of the coroner’s inquest on the September 12, 2014 Synagogue Church building collapse.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, on Thursday, said his government would uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state, urging residents of the state to also respect the rule of law.

Ambode said, “The coroner’s verdict of July 7, 2015, made a number of recommendations which the state government would act upon accordingly.

“One of the provisions of the Coroner Law, 2007, is the provision that empowers a coroner to commence an inquest to find out the cause and manner of death which occur in an unusual manner.”

The governor added that consequent upon the collapse building on the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, the state government applied that a coroner’s inquest be commenced into the cause of the tragic deaths.

He said, “Therefore, the Lagos State Government will cause the prosecution of the contractor, Akinbela Fatiregun of Hardrock Engineering Company Limited; and the Structural Engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who constructed and supervised the collapsed building, respectively, at the Synagogue Church of All Nations for professional negligence.”

The governor added that the government would also prosecute SCOAN for neglecting to obtain building approval before commencing the construction of the building, contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, 2010.

He appealed to residents of the state to always allow emergency responders to perform their duties during emergencies as they were trained for the purpose.

“Also, land owners within the state, who intend to embark on construction, should employ the services of qualified engineers who must obtain building permit before construction,” the governor added.

Punch cullage.