One construction worker has died and seven others were injured after a section of the New Gombe State House of Assembly Complex under construction collapsed on Friday.
The incident involved the cantilevered entrance canopy of the building, according to the Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Danladi Adamu, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Gombe.
He said all eight affected workers were evacuated from the site. Five of the injured are receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while two others are being treated at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe.
"Regrettably, one life was lost," Adamu said.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya has been briefed on the incident and extended his condolences to the family of the deceased. He also directed that all injured workers receive medical treatment at the government's expense.
The governor further ordered the Ministry of Works, alongside relevant emergency, regulatory and technical agencies, to begin safety and accountability procedures immediately.
According to Adamu, the contractor and project consultant have been directed to submit a Formal Incident Report within 24 hours. The report will be followed by a preliminary investigation and a comprehensive technical report detailing the cause of the collapse and recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
Adamu said the governor assured that appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation and in line with applicable standards.
He added that the state government remains committed to enforcing safety, quality and engineering standards in the execution of public infrastructure projects.
