The Lagos State Government on Friday, January 24, 2025, reaffirmed its stance against illegal building constructions as it sealed multiple buildings being constructed without planning permit on the Lagos Island.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, who led the exercise to caution contravening buildings, said that it had become imperative for government to compel the right and positive attitude from the people towards physical planning laws, after months of gracious amnesty to buildings without planning permit.
“The amnesty programme provided an opportunity for property owners to regularise their building permits without facing immediate penalties. Unfortunately, many disregarded this initiative while it lasted and now proceeded with illegal constructions that fail to meet structural, environmental, and safety standards. Our goal is to encourage compliance, ensuring that Lagos remains a safe and orderly city for all residents,” he said.
According to him “the exercise, which will be extended to other parts of the state, underscores the Lagos State Government’s commitment to enforcing physical planning laws across the state. No doubt, unregulated developments pose significant risks to the built environment, including structural collapse, environmental degradation, and disruption to planned city layouts”.
The affected properties that were sealed for lacking the requisite permits for building construction include Number 7 Okesuna Street, 42/64 Okepopo Street, 11/15 Sunmonu Street, 22 Olushi Street, 8 Isalegangan Street. Others are on Oroyinyin, Faji, and Omididun streets.
The Commissioner decried the spate of illegal building construction on Lagos Island, especially buildings on narrow strips of land that leaves no room for adequate setbacks and air spaces, as he ordered the stoppage of the ongoing construction on 8, Isalegangan Street for its narrowness.
He reminded residents, property owners and property developers of their civic duty to obtain necessary approvals before embarking on building construction while urging owners of adjoining small parcels of land to seriously consider the land-pooling option to aid livable, organised and sustainable built environment.
Olumide highlighted the importance of reporting illegal constructions, saying that residents were encouraged to provide information that would assist the government discover physical planning contraventions at their infancy and act promptly in the interest of all to sustain the state’s development agenda as it relates to the physical planning sector.
With the Commissioner on the exercise was the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Olumide Sotire, Directors in the ministry and functionaries of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA).