The Lagos State Government announced that 349 properties throughout the state were now in condition of distress, noting that a 90-day ultimatum notice had been given to the owners to either re-engineer or dismantle the buildings.
The structures and their locations were recognised and publicised on the state government’s website by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA).
According to the General Manager of the agency, Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, the identified distressed buildings were detected via a detailed monitoring effort targeted at averting collapse and its attendant repercussions loss of life and assets.
He added that all the identified structures had signs which indicated that they might not be fit for human habitation, some of those signs included cracks, bulging, exposed reinforcement, sinking and tilting, hence the need to conduct Non-Destructive Test (NDT) on them to ascertain their structural stability.
He stated that whereas statutory letters were officially sent to the owners and developers to carry out the much-needed NDT, the agency had yet to get answers from the owners or developers of the buildings.
Oki said that the publication is, thus, a last notice issued to the concerned building owners to perform the NDT and follow out the recommendations of the Test which may involve re-engineering/renovation or removal as the case may be.
He emphasised that in the instance of removal, a Demolition Permit should be sought from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) before removal while a refurbishment Permit should be obtained from the same body in the case of re-engineering or refurbishment.
Oki said that a timeframe of 90 days was given after the publication for all owners/developers to do the needful failing which LASBCA will remove the structures in the interest of public safety and in line with the regulatory provisions of the Law, adding that in the event that LASBCA removes the structures, cost of demolition will be borne by the owners/developers of the structures.
He also asked all owners/developers to carry out extensive maintenance inspections on their properties and get the Certificate of Completion and Fitness for Habitation for new and existing structures that had still to do so in conformity with the Building Codes of the state.
