The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, has concluded plans to demolish all marked illegal structures/shanties, numbering over 30, at Ogombo, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, LG.A, of the state.
General Manager, LASBCA, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, disclosed this at the weekend while addressing the media at the Agency’s Headquarters, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Oki said the measure has become necessary in a bid to sanitize and propel compliance in the building industry in compliance with the state building regulations.
He also stated that most of the illegal structures/shanties in the area were built on government land by building owners/developers who acquired land illegally with total disregard for the state building codes.
The General Manager further stated that the issue of illegal construction on government land in Ogombo area started several years ago despite efforts by relevant government agencies to dislodge and dissuade the illegal occupants on the land without success.
According to Oki, “This issue has been going on around Ogombo, Eti-Osa area of the state in the last five years, and I have been on it for one and a half year. Hence, we are doing the needful by removing the illegal structures because the government must perform its duty, “he stated.
He also explained that prior to the demolition of any illegal structure/shanty, all necessary Statutory Notices must be served to the owners or developers of such properties, ranging from, Contravention, Stop-Work, Quit and Demolition Notices.
Oki who lamented the rate of illegal sales of government lands by land-grabbers to owners/developers without proper documentation and disregard to State Building Codes, urged the building public to always embark on proper and relevant checks in order to know lands that are free for building construction in the state.
“Due diligence must be followed when acquiring land for building construction in the State because the government will henceforth remove buildings that are built on illegally acquired government lands,” he added.
