LASG to companion personal sector to sort out constructing collapse

The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Urban Development and Lagos State Building Control Agency, has 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.

According to Babatunde, the main reason for the partnership is to end building collapses in the state through robust monitoring and inspection of all ongoing constructions as the government cannot do the job alone.

He said, “The synergy with the private sectors as recommended by the white paper report will enhance a better services delivery in some specific aspects such as monitoring of the built environment, screening of drawings and inspection of projects above 6 floors and complementary roles for stage certification of projects above 6 floors, an initiative that will make the building process seamless and more effective.

“Lagos is blessed with large numbers of professionals in the built environment who are ready to bring in their expertise and capacity to ensure that buildings in the state are constructed to meet international standards.”

Olajide also emphasised that for the seamless take-off of the Accredited Certifiers Programme to be achieved, different orientation workshops would be organised for the successful consortium and individual professionals who met the criteria of becoming accredited certifiers.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban Development, Shodeinde Nurudeen, said LASBCA was the sole enforcer of any form of building development in the state.

He added that to reduce or eliminate the multiplicity of enforcement agents in the built industry, other state agencies and parastatals must interface with LASBCA.

“LASBCA is a one-stop-shop for all other agencies/parastatals of the state government involved in monitoring and enforcement of building regulations in the state and to reduce the people’s misconception of multiple inspections, everybody will be allowed to perform their core responsibilities but LASBCA will be the sole enforcer,” he noted.

Speaking with newsmen in his office, the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, reiterated that the agency would not condone illegal construction of buildings in any part of the state as the agency was fully ready to remove all buildings constructed without the requisite permit.

Reacting to the claim of distortion of the master plans of some parts of the state, he noted that the government would not hesitate to remove buildings constructed on such lands earmarked for public interest as ignorance of the law is no excuse.

He advised, “Developers and landowners to always crosscheck titles of property they seek to purchase with the state land registry before finalising the purchase agreements.”