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To Stop Building Collapse
In a bid to curb and reduce the collapse of structures across Lagos State, the government has introduced several measures in the last few months. These measures are necessary to check mate the activities of some developers who are bent on cutting conners before or during constructions.
Though, the Lagos State has recorded a very low housing collapse in the last one year and this new measures will further reduce and also curb the remaining stubborn operators who are sent to brake the law.
As part of measures to bring down the collapse of structures across Lagos State, the government has now begun to penalise any contractor who violates the building approval code in Lagos State.
Just a few weeks back, The Lagos State Government barred a particular engineering building firm, and the contractor for violating a building code from all construction activities in the state. The contractor violated the approved building plan for structure. The approved plan permitted only six floors, including a basement, ground floor, and three additional floors, but the developer illegally added three more floors.
This is not the first time this would be happening but the Lagos State government is now very serious to penalize any contractor who violates the building approval of Lagos State. This is done in order to eradicate any issue of building collapse across the state
In another measure aimed at curbing the reoccurring cases of building collapses in Lagos, a few months ago, the goverment gave a 3-month window assessment to the public in order to ensure integrity test for building as well as for approval in the state.
So what Mr. Governor has done, in essence, is for individual and property owners or groups should come up with their documents, come up with your As-Built Plan.
The Commissioner of Physical Planning in Lagos State in the recent past has come up with this idea through the policies of advice to the government . The Government & Ministries were shocked to discover that there are so many estates, so many homes in Lagos that don’t have building plan approval.” This is done to enable the atate government ascertain the state of each house in Lagos.
Another step being taken is the introduction of Accredited Certifiers Programme.
The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Urban Development and Lagos State Building Control Agency, 3 months ago finalised plans to synergise operations with the private sector to address the challenge of building collapse.
The partnership, christened “Accredited Certifiers Programme” is aimed at strengthening the capacity of government officials in monitoring and enforcement of building regulations in the state.
Disclosing this in Lagos, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Electronic Geographical Information System and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, said the recommendation of the Accredited Certifiers Programme emanated from the government white paper on the report of the Lagos State Tribunal of the building collapse on 44 (B, C, D), Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, which called for a more robust public-private sector synergy that would help boost enforcement exercise in terms of monitoring and inspection of all on-going building constructions in the state.
Another measure which the Lagos State government has taken is through the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency.
In a bid to effectively scrutinise materials used for construction projects to avert disasters, the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL) has trained the operating Chief Executive Officers of its Consulting Companies on newer articulated service delivery.
Speaking in her office to a team of Consulting Group who are in partnership with the Agency on Wednesday, the General Manager of LSMTL, Engr. Olayinka Abdul called for conscientious service delivery devoid of mediocrity in serving notices across construction sites. She harped on the need to get acquainted with the Electronically Generated Information System to be adopted since it is a medium which the agency will henceforth display on all its services and liaisons.
Finally, The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has continued the removal of structures obstructing drainage channels in the state to tackle flooding. The Ministry’s Commissioner, Tokunbo Wahab is in the fore front ensuring this cause is actualised in order to reduce building collapse across the state.
Isaac Abimbade
08155107955
