The Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), has sealed the hall of Bon Platinum hotel in Enugu State, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued certificates of return to the Governor-elect of the state, Peter Mbah and State House of Assembly members-elect.
The ECTDA, an urban development and infrastructure management agency of the state government, said the decision was in response to a reported structural defect of the double decker hall which caused a big bang during the issuance of the certificates of return to the 2023 election winners in the state on Thursday.
Some officials of the ECTDA, who visited the hall on Friday, for inspection, said they discovered that the building had no approval plan.
” Another structure under construction in the hotel also had no approval of the agency, the officials said.
Josef Onoh, the chairperson of the ECTDA, told reporters in Enugu that the management of the hotel was “impatient” because they did not allow the agency to conclude its investigation of the facility, but was appealing to be allowed to hold another function in the “distressed hall” this Saturday without addressing the fault in the hall.
“The hall doesn’t have an approval but the hotel has and there was a structural defect on the hall yesterday (Thursday) when INEC was issuing certificates of return which made everybody scatter because they thought the building was going to collapse,” Onoh said.
“So, we went there today for inspection and we are now sealing the place, including another building being developed at the back.
“The proprietor of the hotel is not ready to exercise patience for the Nigeria Society of Engineers to come for their own inspection, but is asking us to allow her to host a wedding there tomorrow (Saturday) and I wonder how much she collected for the event that the venue cannot be relocated. So, we have sealed the hall,” he added.
