… Marks another five defective buildings for demolition
The General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki has again decried the alarming rate of defective structures in different parts of Lagos Island, assuring that the agency is working hand in hand with other relevant agencies in the built sector to restore sanity to Lagos Island and other parts of the State.
Oki who led the enforcement gang of the agency on an inspection of buildings in some parts of Lagos Island on Thursday, also issued abatement notices to some non-confirming structures in the areas visited.
He warned inhabitants of physically distressed structures to desist from always asking for additional weeks and months before they can vacate physically distressed buildings when the building itself is a disaster in waiting.
His words: “Our emphasis has always been that whenever you discover that a particular building is distressed, what is expected of you is to vacate such building immediately without waiting for any prompting from government officials because a distressed building will not give warning before it collapses. ”
He said that although the demolition gang of the agency are usually faced with the challenge of accessing some areas with the demolition caterpillar, the agency will continue to explore other available options to ensure that all marked distressed structures are safely brought down.
Oki disclosed that the agency had demolished over 20 distressed buildings in the last three months from different parts of the State, assuring that others already marked for demolition would also be pulled down by the Agency.
The General Manager, during the enforcement exercise, identified another five defective structures located at 25 and 26 Koilo Street, 26 Atiko along Koilo for demolition, saying that the buildings were not befitting the status of the State in addition to the danger which they pose to the occupiers.
Oki engaged the residents of the identified buildings including the occupants of Right Of Ways to salvage their valuables within the next two weeks before the structures are pulled down.
Oki who had earlier paid a visit to the palace of Oba of Lagos, HRM, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu 1 to seek the consent of the traditional ruler on the enforcement exercise, told Oba Akiolu that the intention of the State Government is to ensure that there is sanity across the State and also protect the lives and properties of Lagosians.
Oba Akiolu in his remarks during the visit, pledged his support to the government and pleaded for a more holistic approach to building control activities by nipping in the bud from conception stage of construction works that might pose threat or constitute public and aesthetic nuisance.
He charged LASBCA to increase its staff strength so that the entire nooks and crannies of the State can feel their presence such that non conforming construction works going on in some parts of the State can be easily and quickly discovered by their officers right from inception.
During the enforcement exercise, some buildings under construction as well as those at various stages renovations were sealed by the Agency. The affected buildings are located at 45, Enuowa Street, 42, Ricca Street and Iga Idugaran Street, all in Lagos Island.
Adetayo Akitoye Asagba
Head, Public Affairs Unit
LASBCA.
1st July, 2022.