As a measure to end incidences of building collapse, the Lagos State Government has placed a temporary stop on the issuance of approval for additional floors as well as an amendment on already existing building floors across the state.
It said that the measure would help to checkmate haphazard physical development that had often resulted in the collapse of existing buildings and others under construction which had led to many deaths in Lagos.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, disclosed the new development during a meeting with professional bodies including the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Nigerian Institute of Builders, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria among others.
Bamgbose-Martins, at the meeting to identify solutions to cases of collapsed buildings in Lagos, stated that the temporary stop on approval was part of the measures immediately introduced to drastically reduce cases of collapsed buildings after his redeployment to the ministry.
He said: “For now, building approvals will henceforth be based on numbers of floors applied for, from the inception of that building. We are going to discourage giving approvals for additional floors different from the numbers of floors that had earlier been approved when the construction works started originally. ”
The newly deployed commissioner disclosed that the mandate from the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was to end cases of collapsed buildings which he described as an embarrassment to the state considering its status globally.
Bamgbose-Martins also stated that efforts had been intensified to ensure anyone including government officials, responsible for cases of collapsed buildings were prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others planning to get involved in any unethical conduct.
He appealed for genuine attitudinal change on the part of government officials, building developers, professional bodies, members of the public, and other relevant stakeholders.
The General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki, in his remarks, said that the present administration understands and recognizes the importance of civic engagement in achieving its policy thrust which was the reason for the discussion with stakeholders.
Oki said that the agency had concluded plans to embark on a massive awareness campaign on Building rights, using all available means of communication including social media, television, radio, and newspapers as well as continuous stakeholders’ engagement.
