22nd February, 2018
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government on Thursday warned that obtaining building permit is a must before anyone can erect a building in the State.
The government vowed that any building found without building permit in any part of the State would be shutdown.
General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Engr. Olalekan Shodeinde gave the warning during the sensitisation campaign in Ajegunle area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, in conjunction with the Ministry of Information and Strategy, to sensitise the people on the need to obtain permit before construction.
He said government would no longer tolerate all forms of illegal development across the State as sanction would be meted out on defaulters.
Shodeinde, who was represented by the Head of Department, Building Administration and Public Enlightenment, LASBCA, Engr. Victoria Ajose, said government had declared zero tolerance to building collapse and non-obtainment of building permit.
“if you don’t comply with our laws, government is ready to prosecute after serving contravention notice for the people to come forward to regularise their documents and obtain necessary permits.
“After all these, if you don’t still comply, we will seal such property,” he said.
Shodeinde lamented that cases of people breaking government seals were on the rampant, warning that there is a consequence for doing that.
He said this was what informed the reason why LASBCA began sensitisation tour twice a month to let the people know that they must follow due process in building construction.
According to him, LASBCA is now moving round to monitor building development across the State to ensure that people did the right thing right from the foundation level.
He said in Ajegunle, many buildings were now old, noting that there was the need for their owners to subject such structures to integrity test to ascertain their durability.
However, areas visited in Ajegunle during the sensitisation campaign included Old Ojo Road, Chidi Street, Market Street, among others. Fliers were distributed to residents during the sensitisation campaign.