By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
No fewer than 340 buildings identified to be distressed have been marked for demolition in Lagos if their owners refuse to take necessary actions on the structures.
The move is part of measures to sustain drastic reduction in cases of collapsed buildings by the Lagos State Government.
The buildings in different sizes were discovered, during a check by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), to have obvious signs of distressed and poses threat to both occupants as well as their neighbours in the community where they were erected.
To avert any disaster that could occur if the buildings were allowed to remain standing especially during mid-rainy season, the state government has given owners and developers of the identified structures 90 days to comply with the notices handed to them during inspection of the buildings.
Stating what could happen after expiration of the window, the General Manager, LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki, on Saturday, hinted that the state government would have no option than to remove these buildings in interest of public safety and in line with the regulatory provisions of the Law.
Oki stated that the identified distressed structures were discovered through a thorough monitoring exercise aimed at preventing collapse and its attendant effects such as loss of lives and properties.
He added that these Identified structures have signs which indicates that they might not be fit for human habitation, some of those signs includes cracks, spalling, bulging, exposed reinforcement, sinking and tilting, hence the need to conduct Non-Destructive Test (NDT) to ascertain their structural stability.
The LASBCA boss noted that though statutory notices were duly served on the owners/ developers to carry out the much need Non Destructive Tests, but rather than comply the directives, building owners rejected it’s officials appeal and continued their lifestyle
Oki said that the publication is therefore a final notice given to the affected building owners to conduct the NDT and carry out the recommendations of the Test which may include re-engineering /renovation or removal as the case may be.
He maintained that in the case of removal, a Demolition Permit should be obtained from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority before removal while Renovation Permit should be obtained from the same Agency (LASPPPA) in the case of re-engineering or renovation.
Oki disclosed that should the owner allow LASBCA to remove it, he would have to pay for the services rendered by the agency officials
