BUILDING COLLAPSE: LASG SET TO PARTNER PRIVATE SECTORS IN BUILT INDUSTRY

… To Launch Accredited Certifiers Programme 

The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Urban Development and Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has finalized plans to partner with the private sector in the built industry for enhanced service delivery.

The partnership which is to be christened “Accredited Certifiers Programme” is aimed at strengthening the capacity of government officials in monitoring and enforcement of building regulations in the State.

Speaking at a recent stakeholders meeting held at LASBCA headquarters in Ikeja, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Electronic Geographical Information System(e-GIS) and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde said that 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 calls for a more robust public-private sector synergy that will help boost enforcement exercise in terms of monitoring and inspection of all ongoing building constructions in the State.

According to Dr. Babatunde, the main reason for the partnership which has been in the pipeline since 2021 is aimed at zero tolerance for 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 better service delivery in some specific aspects such as monitoring of the built environment, screening of drawings and inspection of projects above six floors and complementary roles for stage certification of projects above six floors, an initiative that will make the building process seamless and more effective”.

He noted that 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.

Dr. Olajide also emphasised that for the seamless take-off of the Accredited Certifiers Programme to be achieved, various orientation workshops will be organised for successful consortiums and individual professionals who meet the criteria of becoming Accredited Certifiers.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Engr. Nurudeen Shodeinde stated that LASBCA is the sole enforcer of any form of building development in the State and 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 Lagos 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 stated.

Speaking earlier to newsmen in his office, the General Manager of LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki disclosed that the agency will not condone the illegal construction of buildings in any part of the state as the agency is fully ready to remove all buildings constructed without the requisite permit.

Oki lamented the distortion of the master plans of some parts of the state by people whom he describes as “omo onile” with their indiscriminate sales of lands earmarked by the Government for roads, drainages and other purposes of public interest to unsuspecting members of the public.

He noted that the government will not hesitate to remove buildings constructed on such lands earmarked for public interest as ignorance of the law is no excuse. The DG, therefore, advised developers and landowners to always crosscheck the titles of property they seek to purchase at the State Land Registry before finalising the purchase agreements.