Lagos government to demolish unapproved buildings after amnesty period

The Lagos State Government has restated that it will demolish buildings without proper approvals after the expiration of the 90 days amnesty window to get them legalised expires.

Mr Olaoye Olusegun of the Office Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) said this on Wednesday in Lagos.

He quoted the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, as saying this at a workshop organised by the the agency on Tuesday in Ikeja.

He said that the workshop was centered on “Understanding Building Control in Lagos State”, and was put together to address salient issues and misconceptions about the activities of the Agency.

Babajide said this was so as it related to issuance of certifications and the importance of insurance in the built industry.

He said that there was the need for every building in the state to have the certificate of Completion and fitness for habitation as well as an insurance policy that could be relied on during disaster period, such as fire incidents

He said, ”As a step towards reduction in building collapse in the state, no building should be occupied in the state without possessing the Certificate of Completion and Fitness for Habitation issued by the State Building Control Agency, which is renewable every five years”.

He reiterated the governor’s directives to owners of buildings with attachments to remove them immediately.

Babatunde said that such attachments would not be allowed in the state, as they hindered rescue operations during emergencies.

He noted that the state government through the Lagos State Building Control Agency had taken proactive measures to alert owners of distressed buildings in the state to pull them down.

According to him, the state government published in three national dailies, 359 distressed buildings across the state, with over 90 per cent of such buildings pulled down by the owners to avoid disaster.

Olaoye also quoted the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations, Mr Gbenga Oyerinde, and his Counterpart at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Olayinka Olumide, as speaking on the Dosunmu fire incident.

They disclosed that enumeration and collation of victims had been concluded, adding that soon, the state government would make a pronouncement on the level of assistance that would be given to all the victims of the fire incident.

Speaking earlier, the General Manager, LASBCA, Mr Gbolahan Oki, said that the importance of the workshop was to clear grey areas on the operations of LASBCA and how to go about getting the necessary certifications issued by the agency.

Oki called on building owners in the state to do the right thing, saying that it is cheaper to do the right thing and obey all extant rules and regulations governing the building and construction industry in the state.

He said that at the expiration of the governor’s amnesty period, the agency would go all out to request for details such as certificate for fitness and habitation issued by the State Building Control after meeting all necessary requirements and certificate of building insurance.

He advised developers to build according to specifications and the approval or permits given.

Mr Yemi Solajoye, an insurance consultant, spoke on the need for every building in the state to take insurance cover against any disaster, especially building collapse or fire outbreak.

He called for compulsory enforcement of insurance on buildings by owners in Lagos state as a way to mitigate against losses during emergency periods.

Mr Fuad Oki, a retired Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, called for a more enlarged engagement with the public, especially at the grassroots where building regulations infraction regularly take place.