UPDATE: LASBCA BEGINS REMOVAL OF DISTRESSED BUILDINGS IN LAGOS ISLAND, MUSHIN, OTHERS
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As part of attempts to control building collapse, preventable loss of property, and life-saving efforts, officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) have started the process of removing distressed structures in Lagos Island, Mushin, and other localities throughout the state.
Among the structures impacted are flats with three and four units in Oke-Arin and Doherty Streets on Lagos Island, as well as four-story homes with one unit in Idi Araba districts of the state.
According to LASBCA General Manager Arc. Gbolahan Oki, the activity is a standard component of the agency’s responsibility to reduce the frequency of building collapses and the preventable deaths of Lagos people.
Arc. Oki, who was represented during the evacuation exercise by the Director of Enforcement, LASBCA, Mr. Olusoji Olaopa, spoke about the initial efforts made to ensure that the occupants of the affected buildings vacated the distressed structures. He said that the agency had earlier declared the building unfit for habitation, and the occupants were expected to have vacated the building for their safety and the safety of others nearby.
Oki explained that the evacuation and partial demolition exercise were the agency’s last action before the final demolition, adding that the agency’s actions were required in order to force the occupants of the damaged buildings to move to safer residences.
Assuring that the exercise was conducted in accordance with the applicable laws and not as a witch hunt for anyone, he claimed that the distressed buildings were identified based on inspection and monitoring exercises carried out by relevant supervising directors attached to various districts across the state.
In his words, “The administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu frowns at the avoidable loss of lives and property of residents of the State. It is time for Lagosians to take their safety seriously and avoid blaming government at all times”.
In order to ensure that every building in the state is safe for habitation and poses no threat to other neighbouring structures, Arc. Oki reassured Lagosians that the agency would continue to work tirelessly towards this aim.
Mr. Rabiu Jamiu, a resident of one of the affected buildings in the Oke-Arin region of the state, confirmed that the LASBCA officials had previously given the building’s occupants an evacuation notice. He added that the landlords had also been advised to conduct an integrity test on the structures to determine their structural integrity.
The government’s decision, according to Jamiu, who claimed to have resided in the impacted building for almost 13 years, was made for everyone’s safety.
“It is painful but because I don’t have where to keep my belongings for now or where to stay with my family members, my wife is in the house packing out loads and our children have gone to school but life goes on because this move is also for our safety”.
The LASBCA officials have also sealed a building being renovated along Palm Avenue in Mushin and a warehouse that was under construction there for violating the appropriate approval procedures.
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