The Gombe State Government has ordered an immediate investigation into the collapse of a section of the entrance canopy at the ongoing construction site of the new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex, an incident that claimed one life and left seven construction workers injured.

The accident occurred on Friday at the project site.

In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, Danladi Adamu, the government said the collapsed structure was part of the cantilevered entrance canopy that was still under construction.

According to the statement, five of the injured workers are currently receiving treatment at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital, while the remaining two are being treated at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and directed that all injured workers receive comprehensive medical care at the expense of the state government.

The governor also instructed the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, in collaboration with relevant emergency response, regulatory and technical agencies, to immediately begin safety and accountability procedures to establish the cause of the structural failure.

As part of the investigation, the contractor handling the project and the supervising consultant have been directed to submit a formal incident report within 24 hours.

They are also expected to provide a preliminary investigation report, followed by a comprehensive technical report detailing the findings of the investigation and recommendations to prevent a recurrence.

The state government said the outcome of the investigation would guide subsequent decisions and assured the public that appropriate actions would be taken in line with established engineering and safety standards.

It reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing strict compliance with safety, quality and engineering standards in the execution of public infrastructure projects across the state, adding that further updates would be provided as more verified information becomes available.