The Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has demolished at least 7 distressed buildings in the Mushin Area of the state.
The action by the state government is part of the continuous effort to prevent an imminent building collapse that would have claimed several innocent lives and destroyed property worth millions of Naira.
Speaking during the demolition of the distressed buildings, the General Manager of LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, lamented the level of disregard for vacation notices issued by the agency on different occasions to occupants of the buildings and others in different parts of the State.
What the General Manager of LASBCA is saying
Oki said: “The administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu frowns at the avoidable loss of lives and property of residents of the State. It is time for Lagosians to take their safety seriously and avoid putting blame on government at all times.’’
The Director and Head of Inspectorate, Quality Control and Post-Construction Audit, Engr. Khadijah Olayemi Aremo-Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the General Manager, stated that the 7 buildings pulled down by the agency had been served necessary notices without compliance by the occupants and owners of the structures.
While noting that over 10 distressed buildings have been demolished since the commencement of the exercise earlier in the year, the General Manager informed that the exercise was aimed at averting further loss of lives, warning that all distressed buildings in any part of the State are disasters waiting to happen.
Arc. Oki assured Lagosians that the agency will relentlessly continue to pursue its vision and goal of ensuring that all buildings across the State are fit for habitation and constitute no risk to other nearby structures.
He expressed the hope that Lagosians will henceforth cultivate the habit of vacating distressed buildings even before such buildings are marked by Lagos State Building Control Agency or any other relevant government agencies for demolition.
What you should know
- Lagos State has been bedevilled with numerous cases of building collapse across the state with reported high casualty figures.
- The incessant cases of building collapse which is not uncommon in the state has been attributed to poor regulatory oversight and sharp practices by developers.
- The Lagos State Government had earlier in May, announced that it would embark on a weeklong demolition of distressed buildings in Ebute Metta and other parts of the state.
- The exercise by the state government was to prevent the various cases of building collapse in the state as well as safeguard lives and property.
- In a related development, LASBCA had demolished 2 distressed buildings in the Mushin area of the state in furtherance of its commitment to rid the State of non-conforming structures.