The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr Gbolahan Oki, on Thursday called for public policing of construction by reporting building infractions.
Oki made the call at the 30th Lagos Builders’ Conference organised by the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in Ikeja.
The conference had the theme: “Building Control Regulations and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lagos State: Reinvigorating Processes, Optimising Results.”
Oki noted that in advanced economies, residents monitored public conduct by reporting infractions to the relevant authorities to nip corruption and other illegalities in the bud.
According to him, residents of the state and construction experts, who do not report building infractions around them or in their localities have failed in their civic responsibilities.
“We are all failures if we do not report building infractions,” he said.
Oki noted that timely interventions to stop illegalities during building production could help in quality assurance to prevent future building collapses.
He called for collaboration of building professionals and other construction experts, to ensure synergy for efficiency, quality and job creation in the building production management value chain in the state.
The general manager said LABSCA would soon begin to arrest artisans on construction sites without registered builders supervision to tame illegal practices.
Oki stated that the agency had also deployed technology, and supervision was key.
According to him, the re-launch of Certificate of Completion and Fitness for Habitation by the state government is to introduce efficiency in enforcing the state’s building certification laws.
Dr Samson Opaluwah, immediate past Vice-Chairman, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) said the body had set up an enforcement unit.
He stated that the unit would soon begin nationwide building inspection to enforce compliance with regulations.
Opaluwah said deficiencies in building sites could be arrested through collaboration by governments at all levels and professional builders.
He lauded the Lagos State government for putting in place regulations to standardise the built environment.
Mr Bayo Owojori, a member of the LABSCA Appeals Committee, highlighted the procedures for various professionals to obtain building certification approvals.
Owojori dwelt on provisions of Section four of the Building Control Law of Lagos State, which vested powers of supervision on professional builders.
The Managing Director, Isthmus Engineering Ltd., Mr Tunde Olatunde, advised the agency to ensure synergy in operations of its head office and district offices, to make processes of documentation easier and faster. (NAN)
