The Lagos State Government has urged all occupants of identified distressed buildings in the state to evacuate immediately.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, on Friday, December 22, 2023, as a three-floor building with a penthouse caved in at Lagos Street by Herbert Macauley, Ebute-Metta.
Speaking at the site of the unfortunate incident, the Commissioner, who was with the Special Adviser, e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Oluwole Sotire; General Manager, Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Kehinde Osinaike; and General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, said that the building, having been marked distressed and published in the dailies as such, was partially demolished by LASBCA after serving the statutory notices, including evacuation notice.
He noted that he recently supervised the marking and service of notices to a number of distressed buildings in the Ebute-Metta area.
Olumide said that it was appalling that people would refuse to evacuate distressed buildings after being officially asked to do so.
His words: “I deeply sympathise with the casualties but remain puzzled at why people would choose to stay in a distressed building, in spite of the serious danger to lives and property.”
He urged all occupants of distressed buildings in the state to vacate immediately as the government would be more stringent in the application of physical planning laws.
More information will be furnished as it emerges as rescue operations are ongoing.
