NSSF site engineers summoned
Apr 30, 2009
FIVE civil engineers, who were in charge of the collapsed National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Pension Towers, have been given 30 days to defend themselves against professional negligence.
By Mikaili Sseppuya
FIVE civil engineers, who were in charge of the collapsed National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Pension Towers, have been given 30 days to defend themselves against professional negligence.
“The council made a decision to sanction those involved and communicated the decision to them. However, it gave them 30 days within which to defend themselves.
“If they do, the council will evaluate their defence and make a final decision,†Dr. Anania Mbabazi, the president of the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers, said.
He added that some of the accused denied involvement in the project.
Those asked to defend themselves, he said, were among those implicated by a technical investigation team set up in November last year by the works minister, John Nasasira.
The team investigated the cause of the collapse of the foundation, which caved in on October 14, killing seven people.
The team, which was set up on October 16, comprised 13 members chaired by Prof. Jackson Mwakari.
Mwakari is the chairman of the Engineer’s Registration Board.
The team found that the accident occurred due to the collapse of a 17-metre-deep foundation excavation on the eastern side of the site.
The construction was being undertaken by ROKO Construction as the main contractor.
ROKO was supervised by Arch Design Architects as the project manager, while Ssentoogo & Partners was the architect and lead consultant.
These were supported by a consultancy team comprising Survecon Associates (quantity surveyors), Seka Associates (civil/structural engineers) and Multi-Konsults (electro-mechanical engineers).
The CTIT found among others that several changes had been made and some necessary permits had not been got and there was not resident engineer.
CTIT commenced the investigations on 20th October 2008 and completed the task on 28th November 2008.
“The project supervision team was composed of a project manager (M/s Arch Design) who was in-charge of the overall supervision of the project. The architect/lead consultant was M/s Ssentoogo & Partners, who in turn coordinated the rest of the consultants, namely M/s Seka Associates—Civil/Structural Engineers, M/s Survecon Associates—Quantity Surveyors, and M/s Multi-Konsults—Electro-Mechanical Engineers†CTIT said.
FIVE civil engineers, who were in charge of the collapsed National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Pension Towers, have been given 30 days to defend themselves against professional negligence.
“The council made a decision to sanction those involved and communicated the decision to them. However, it gave them 30 days within which to defend themselves.
“If they do, the council will evaluate their defence and make a final decision,†Dr. Anania Mbabazi, the president of the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers, said.
He added that some of the accused denied involvement in the project.
Those asked to defend themselves, he said, were among those implicated by a technical investigation team set up in November last year by the works minister, John Nasasira.
The team investigated the cause of the collapse of the foundation, which caved in on October 14, killing seven people.
The team, which was set up on October 16, comprised 13 members chaired by Prof. Jackson Mwakari.
Mwakari is the chairman of the Engineer’s Registration Board.
The team found that the accident occurred due to the collapse of a 17-metre-deep foundation excavation on the eastern side of the site.
The construction was being undertaken by ROKO Construction as the main contractor.
ROKO was supervised by Arch Design Architects as the project manager, while Ssentoogo & Partners was the architect and lead consultant.
These were supported by a consultancy team comprising Survecon Associates (quantity surveyors), Seka Associates (civil/structural engineers) and Multi-Konsults (electro-mechanical engineers).
The CTIT found among others that several changes had been made and some necessary permits had not been got and there was not resident engineer.
CTIT commenced the investigations on 20th October 2008 and completed the task on 28th November 2008.
“The project supervision team was composed of a project manager (M/s Arch Design) who was in-charge of the overall supervision of the project. The architect/lead consultant was M/s Ssentoogo & Partners, who in turn coordinated the rest of the consultants, namely M/s Seka Associates—Civil/Structural Engineers, M/s Survecon Associates—Quantity Surveyors, and M/s Multi-Konsults—Electro-Mechanical Engineers†CTIT said.