The Lagos State Government has deployed a Special Operations team in charge of landed property, to the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in order to complement and boost an enforcement action against non-conforming, defective structures.
The General Manager of LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, while receiving the leader of the team at the agency’s head office in GRA Ikeja, said the arrival of the team would go a long way in enhancing the activities of the enforcement unit of the Agency.
Oki revealed that LASBCA is now in a position to expand its coverage areas to ensure that non-conforming, defective and distressed structures can promptly be detected and pulled down to avert sudden collapse that might result in loss of lives and property.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to lay a lot of emphasis on the safety and well-being of Lagosians through monitoring of all existing and ongoing building construction. He charged the Special Operations team to work assiduously and uphold professionalism at all times.
The Special Operations Team to ensure best practices
Speaking at the occasion, the Head of the Special Operations Team, Engr. Toyin Omotosho, said that members of his team are committed and dedicated while embracing teamwork, honesty and best practices in the discharge of their duties at all times.
The deployment of the Special Team to LASBCA is in line with the recommendation contained in the White Paper submitted to the State Government on the collapsed building at 44, Gerard Road, Ikoyi.
What you should know
- The Lagos State Government has in recent times been very serious with the demolition and sealing off of distressed and non-conforming properties across the state for breaching the state’s physical planning laws and failure to get approval from the relevant authorities.
- Serious concerns have been raised over the monitoring of building development by the relevant state agencies and their compliance with the state’s building regulations and physical planning laws.
- This became very imperative after the 21-storey Ikoyi building collapse that left over 45 people dead and many others injured.
- Also, the state government is applying stricter controls and regulations for property developers due to increasing cases of collapsed buildings which has claimed many lives in the state.
- The state government had stressed on the need for Planning Permits and Project Boards to be present at every building construction site in the state.
I am a resident in Lagos.
I so much love the intentions of the Lagos State Govt in this regard.
Please, how do we get in touch with the task force to report destressed buildings around us?
I support this move, but, as a Lawyer,, and a positively popular Right Activist I have been inundated with abuses of the offices of the Agencies involved in the demolition of weak structures. The idea of a person, I.e the Agency, been the complainant, investigator, Prosecutor and the Judge and even the Executor, give rooms for serious abuses. Demolition was used to chase out Tenants in some houses in Lagos. I didn’t protest bcos the buildings were conspicuously weak.
We have about 2 or 3 Agencies in Lagos State handling the same functions on the same issues relating to buildings and demolition of weak or unapproved structures. Those buildings had approvals from Lagos State, just like the sky scaper building at Ikoyi that collaped due to technical deficiency and killed its owner and some other persons.
I shall support the Agency and even render free legal services if we have one Agency carrying out the functions, Approvals are made seemless and well regulated and if the abuses are stopped and there are effective methods of checking, arresting the abuses and adequate punishment giving to airing personnel.