Stakeholders Meet in Lagos to discuss Solutions to Building Collapse
Stakeholders in the Lagos State built industry on Friday met to brainstorm on solutions to the incessant menace of building collapse in the state.
The round table discussion which had in attendance professionals in the Lagos built industry including architects, builders, surveyors, town planners, engineers, among others was organised by the Lagos Building and Control Agency.
In his address, the newly appointed Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, disclosed that the ministry would soon commence comprehensive reforms to curb the spate of building collapse in the state.
Bamgbose-Martins charged industry stakeholders to desist from shoddy and unethical practices and always maintain the highest construction standards.
Bamgbose-Martins vowed to rid the state of building collapse, adding, “There has to be attitudinal change in order to stop the collapse of buildings. This deployment is an assignment for me.”
The Commissioner explained that the state government had adopted a zero tolerance policy against building collapse, stressing that he would not hesitate to wield the big stick on any member of staff of the ministry found culpable of sabotaging the efforts towards tackling the menace of building collapse.
He warned that serious punitive measures would be meted to developers who were found wanting with regard to deviating from the stipulations of the approved building designs.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the General-Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, tasked industry stakeholders to collaborate towards finding lasting solutions to the menace of building collapse in the state.
Oki stated further that the agency would continue its all-out sensitisation campaign in order to drive conversations around compliance to building standards.
The General-Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, said the present administration led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recognises the policy of civil engagement and also the value of collaboration of relevant professional bodies in accomplishing this goal.
On his part, the General Manager of the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory, Tajudeen Afolabi, lamented that the vast majority of construction problems stemmed from negligence on the part of the developers in conducting proper testing.
Afolabi announced that any material used for the purpose of construction must be subjected to rigorous testing, adding that the state government had spelled out stringent punitive measures against erring practitioners.