Determined to prevent further loss of lives and property through building collapse, the Lagos State government has urged owners and occupiers of defective buildings across the state to vacate such buildings and make formal report to relevant authorities. Opeyemi Bamidele, commissioner for information and strategy said this was the decision of the Lagos State Executive Council to ensure that no life was lost via avoidable incident as building collapse.
Bamidele specifically identified the case of Jakande Estate, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island and appealed to the landlords as well as the residents of structurally defective buildings to immediately relocate and bring same to the notice of the state government through the ministry of physical planning and urban development. He equally reminded members of the public that owners of any building that collapses in the state would forfeit such landed property to the state government as provided by the law. “To prevent this and importantly to safeguard the loss of lives and property, owners of structurally defective buildings should endeavour to contact the state government or engage the professional services of structural engineering consultant for clarification where in doubt,” he stated.
The commissioner called on members of the public who suspect buildings with structural defect in their neighbourhood to report to the appropriate agency or advice the state government accordingly. He noted that government did not want a situation where people would wait till their buildings collapse resulting in loss of lives and property before action is taken.
He advised owners of buildings that are above 40
years and those that are not certain or who entertain doubts as to the structural stability of their buildings to voluntarily apply to material testing laboratory as this would not attract penalty. The material testing laboratory was established in 2009 to forestall the incidence of building collapse in the state.
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