By Chris Otaigbe
No fewer than 20 houses at various completion stages in Isheri-North Government Reservation Area (GRA) of Lagos State have been shut down by the State Government.
This was announced by the Spokesman, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Mukaila Sanusi, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday.
According to him, the buildings were were sealed for non-compliance with the state’s construction laws.
The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner in the Ministry, Dr. Idris Salako, stated that the builders were not able to produce on demand, the Planning Permits authorizing construction of the buildings.
The commissioner said government had warned during routine compliance monitoring of the area, that it would not condone illegal building construction inimical to orderly and sustainable development.
“I wish to emphasize again that owners and developers should follow the process to apply and obtain Planning Permits before construction, make recourse to the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) for stage certification and indicate that the building is safe, complete and habitable,” he said.
The Commissioner advised residents and professionals in the built environment not to view the requirement for Planning Permit from revenue angle alone.
“They should see the merit of safety, orderliness and organized setting, which complies with the Planning Laws of the State, in addition to preventing the menace of building collapse,” he stressed.
Salako said it was important for property owners or developers to make available on demand their Planning Permits, because Ministry officials would consistently monitor all building construction sites.
He said that the monitoring team would request to see the enabling Permit, duly issued by the government, through the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA).
Mr. Ganiyu Ayuba, Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Urban Development, is quoted as saying the state government had adopted measures to further ease the process and time-line for approvals.
Ayuba said the 28 day-period for obtaining Planning Permit was sacrosanct, adding that the State government had upgraded and stabilized the electronic planning permit, a platform for people to process their approval.
Ayuba urged the public to use the platform for easy processing of their documents.