The Lagos State Government has halted the granting of permits for the addition of new floors to existing structures.
This followed the incessant collapse of buildings and structures under construction. The latest occurred in Oniru.
Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, commissioner for physical planning and urban development, revealed the administration’s choice during a discussion with professional bodies.
Present were officials of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Nigerian Institute of Builders, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences.
Others include the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), among others.
“For now, building approvals will henceforth be based on numbers of floors applied for, from the inception of that building.
“We will discourage approvals for additional floors different from the numbers approved when the construction started originally”, Bamgbose-Martins said.
The commissioner disclosed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed him to end cases of collapse which had affected the image of the country’s biggest city.
Bamgbose-Martins assured that government personnel found culpable would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
He called for attitudinal change on the part of Lagos officials, building developers, citizens, organisations and stakeholders.
