*Says FG’s agencies reckless, culpable in building collapse

*Accuses Lagos State govt officials of collusion

*Seven-man committee to submit report in two weeks

Miffed by the frequent incidents of building collapse in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the demolition of 20 houses in Banana Island, Ikoyi area of the state.


Speaking yesterday during a visit to the site of the recent building collapse on First Avenue in Banana Island, a visibly angry Sanwo-Olu accused some agencies of the federal government of being culpable in the incidents of building collapse on the highbrow Island.
The governor also described as reckless the way and manner officials of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the promoters of the estate, issued permission to sand fill the Lagos Lagoon without regard to the topography of the area.


He stated that the site of the collapsed building was not originally part of the island’s plan.
“We are at the back of the land that is abutting. You can see that the original line for Banana Island is not even here. It is way in front and you can see that there are several extensions granted by both the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and NIWA. These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions. They have done these extensions without our knowledge.
“We have responsibility for building approval. All of the four buildings at the back never got our approval. This is an illegality that is real and that is why we are going around the properties.


“The excuse that they don’t have access is not acceptable. It is total recklessness. All the developers and the culpable officers will be sanctioned.
“But what we are doing now is – we have set up an external committee who are given two weeks to independently ascertain what has gone wrong here and they should finish the work towards the end of next week. This will further strengthen our hands to be able to come up with a robust work plan that we can enforce going forward.


“It is heartbreaking each time we have to go through this and it shows how irresponsible both the developers, some of our citizens that just want to make quick money, and of course our officers, who are not alive to their responsibility.

“We have had to change staff here and there so that we can bring forward robust and very strong monitoring offices, but we are still short of it, I must say. We need to do what we have to do to keep the lives of our citizens safe at all times, ” Sanwo-Olu explained.

The governor accused some officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) of corruption, stressing that they would be held responsible for the recent collapse of a seven-story building on the island recently.


Sanwo-Olu lamented that approvals were given to developers by the federal government in connivance with some corrupt officials of the Lagos State government, adding that the land on which the collapsed building was built was not originally part of the approved Banana Island’s plans.
He stated that no construction should have been carried out on the land.
“There has been a lot of investigation going on. We have seen the extent of unapproved expansion into the water. There have been several extensions approved by the Federal Ministry of Works without our knowledge,” he added.


The governor also inspected other ongoing building projects to ascertain their level of compliance.

In some areas, Sanwo-Olu was shocked to find multi-storey buildings constructed directly under high-tension power lines.
After inspecting the buildings, he ordered them demolished immediately.
He was also scandalised that some buildings that had earlier been demolished by the state government had been reconstructed without the government’s permission.


The governor, who was accompanied by Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, Special Adviser on Works, Adeyoye Aramide, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, among others, ordered the demolition of 20 completed buildings on the island.
While three of the buildings are from the commercial section of the island, 17 are from the residential section.

“We are at the site of the last unfortunate building collapse in Banana Island Lagos and I am sure you have all gone around and seen the site. As has been reported before, there has been a lot of investigation that is going on right now and you can see that they are still clearing the rubbles at the site.


“We have given the order to stop work, not only at this site but also in all of the construction sites in Banana Island.

“I think that the exercise we are doing today is not really just about this location. You have all seen the extent of what I will call an unapproved extension into the water, at the back of each of the land that is aborting water.


“You can see that the original line for Banana Island is not even where we are. It’s in front there and you can see that several extensions have been granted by both the Federal Ministry of Work and Housing and NIWA. These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions.
“They have done these extensions even without our knowledge. We have the responsibility for building approvals and the rest of these.
“From what I have been told, all of the four buildings at the back have never even applied for approvals.


“The illegality is real and so, that is why we are going around other properties in Banana Island.

“Excuses have been given that they don’t have access and this is not acceptable. This is a total recklessness of all of the developers and we will make a strong point out of this place and all-around Banana Island and in other developments that we have.


“The officers that will also be similarly found culpable will also be sanctioned, if any.
“In all of these places, it’s heartbreaking each time we have to go through these and it shows sometimes how irresponsible those developers and some of our citizens that just want to make quick money.

“And of course, our own officers who are also not alive to their responsibilities.
“We have had to change staff here and there so that we can bring forward robust and very strong monitoring offices. But we believe that we are still far from it, we are still short on it I must say.

“And we will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that we keep the lives of our residents safe at all times. We are going around as I said that this is not the first one, you are free to join us if you want.”

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/23/sanwo-olu-orders-demolition-of-20-buildings-in-banana-island/

Chai, ordinary 7 storey building, e fall yakata for ground. When some cities are filled with 50 storey skyscrapers without incidents of collapse.

I don't know if we'll ever get it right in Nigeria. Choi!

When you stroll or take a walk around Banana island...na there you go realized say some people get money for this country...


Make we dey manage our Iyana ipaja for now...with time we shall get there

Nice one. It's a positive step to call out evil when you see it.

One thing to announce, another thing to follow through.

Nah Naija we dey.

For the past 8years, all the APC led government (state and Federal) have been doing is trade blame.
If they don't blame the previous administration they would blame the state government, local government, government owned agencies or even blame innocent Nigerians but never themselves. Government at all levels should be proactive enough to forestall these incidents from happening by ensuring the right building conditions are met. If they can't do it in a place like Banana Island, they can't do it anywhere else.

Anyways, I believe that reclaiming waterways for buildings may be of adverse effects to our civilization in the long run. No one can deprive nature from being nature.

Ok

Action

Let nobody claim witch-hunting based on tribalism or partisan Politics

Lagos State under Sanwo-Olu's second term and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's first term would undergo massive restructuring




.

Ok

Erection don finish Samwo Olu no dey pick call again

Sanwo olu wan hammer like this. Only few of em will be demolished. Others go sort sanwo

Sandfilling the Lagos lagoon...why won't the rest of Lagos be flooded when it rains?

Na audio demolusion. .

Na big wigs owns those facilities. .

The know how to meet Sanwo or him oga Tinubu for underneath talks.

Make dem leave am, wen dem dey build am ontop ocean basin wey dem sandfill dem no kno.

Street things

Plenty land wasting away in Abuja, yet, some people prefer to build houses in Lagos where they'll have to sandfill, only for the building to later collapse.

Just move five multinational companies HQ to Abuja and see the mass exodus out of this stinking place.

Lagos? Nah!

Abuja is the place abeg

LOSS LOSS Total LOSS.

True story...a guy that has worked many decades here and into real estate sold all his rental properties to buy choice land to build a massive school in Lagos....under a power line*. Buildings were torn down o...

Talk about Grace to Grass...how do you even start all over? Be careful before you put all eggs in one basket.

Mynd44:
*Says FG’s agencies reckless, culpable in building collapse

*Accuses Lagos State govt officials of collusion

*Seven-man committee to submit report in two weeks

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/23/sanwo-olu-orders-demolition-of-20-buildings-in-banana-island/

Just come hard on this...this one time!

Everyone go adjust

MasterTeeUSA:
LOSS LOSS Total LOSS.

True story...a guy that has worked many decades here and into real estate sold all his rental properties to buy choice land to build a massive school in Lagos....under a power line*. Buildings were torn down o...

Talk about Grace to Grass...how do you even start all over? Be careful before you put all eggs in one basket.

Built a school under the powerline?
He should have been made to pay for the demolition and jailed on top.

I don't understand decisions some people make as well...then again someone might have approved and given green light

AmotekunSW:


Built a school under the powerline?
He should have been made to pay for the demolition and jailed on top.

Chai! Those that bought the land at exorbitant prices and built even more costly structures don enter one chance o. See waste! It is well.

virginboy1:
When you stroll or take a walk around Banana island...na there you go realized say some people get money for this country...


Make we dey manage our Iyana ipaja for now...with time we shall get there

The question be say “person fit still make am for this 9ja so ??”

Greed and corruption will end us

Some Nigerians and lawlessness are 5 & 6

virginboy1:
When you stroll or take a walk around Banana island...na there you go realized say some people get money for this country...


Make we dey manage our Iyana ipaja for now...with time we shall get there

No, I don't think so.

GAZZUZZ:
Inside the 20, 15 fit sort, 2 go make phone call, 3 will be used as scape goats