Lagos State Government, through the State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has charged government at the grassroots level across the State to adhere strictly to building codes and approval processes in the built environment.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde gave the charge at an interactive session with Chairmen of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas on non-adherence to building codes and approval processes in Lagos State held recently at the Whitestone Event Centre, Oregun, Lagos.
Babatunde noted that Local Governments are closest to the people and are in a better position to educate and enlighten the masses at the grassroots on the best ways and manners to utilize the environment. He called on Local Government Chairmen to obey building code regulations and shun the practice of jumping approval processes in constructing shops and offices in their locality.
“We must go back to the basics and as the government closest to the grassroots, you are to ensure that basic minimal standards are maintained to mitigate the effect of building indiscriminately on the environment’’, the Special Adviser stated.
He further disclosed that constitutionally, the management of all land in the urban space is vested in the State Government and therefore Local Government should ensure that approval process to utilize the land and spaces within their domain are granted by agents of the State Government for proper planning and progressive society.
Speaking earlier on the need for compliance with provisions of the revised Lagos State Building Control regulations and extensions to buildings and market stalls in the State, the General Manager of LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki stressed the importance of looking into planning which starts from the grassroots level and harped on the need to change the present narrative where Local Government grants approvals to build lock-up shops indiscriminately without recourse to state building approval processes.
He expressed the government’s concern about the indiscriminate and unplanned erection of buildings and shops at the local level by developers in connivance with some local government officials without following laid-down regulations and approval processes.
Oki equally used the opportunity to call on the Local Government Chairmen to implore owners of shops and market stalls in their localities to remove all illegal extensions and makeshift attachments built on their shops as LASBCA is ready to carry out the directives of Mr. Governor on the removal of attachments and extensions to buildings.
Other stakeholders in the built environment who spoke at the event included The Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Engr. Olalekan Shodeinde; Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Mr. Akinbode Obadina and General Manager, State Public Works Corporation, Engr. Tokunbo Ajanaku amongst others.
They unanimously agreed on the need for mutual collaboration between Local Governments that are closer to the people and the State Government as well as the need for proper planning of the environment for a progressive society.
Responding on behalf of other Chairmen, the Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Hon. Sulaiman Yusuf and his counterpart in Orile Agege LCDA, Hon Babatunde called for mutual partnership and respect among the two tiers of Government, noting that State Government officials cannot work in isolation and therefore Local Government officials should be carried along in their activities at the local level.
They pledged to work with the State Government and take the message of proper planning and adherence to building code and approval processes to their localities.
