Following the recent cases of building collapse in Lagos state, the board of trustees of Osborne Foreshore Residents Association (OSFRA) has called on the state government under the leadership of Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, to ensure enforcement of building and environmental laws to protect the populace from unnecessary deaths and loss of properties as a result of collapsed buildings.
According to OSFRA, construction work within its estate by some developers are untoward and have reached a maddening crescendo, with major developers acting in breach of the extant laws guiding the construction of high rise buildings.
The chairman of OSFRA, Chinwe Mba, stated that “all requests by OSFRA to look at the planning approval authorising ongoing developments in the estate is always rebuffed by the developer with the excuse that we do not have the legal right to request for their planning approvals.”
OSFRA had accused the developers of raising high rise blocks of flats in the estate contrary to what the Lagos State planning laws demand and also violating the density level requirements, parking provision setbacks and airspaces laws among others.
“In view of these contraventions, there are grave consequences. For instance, it is worthy of note that along Lekki/Ajah axis Messrs Lekki Garden Estate Limited has experienced a spate of collapsed buildings leading to loss of lives in excess of 30 souls. In the last eight months within our estate, three of their workers have fallen off three different construction sites leading sadly to untimely deaths,” the chairman alleged.
This was the basis of a series of litigations by OSFRA to contend with the contravention of laws by builders within the estate.
“The developers are very powerful and well connected” so enforcing compliance has become a mirage. For example, the Commissioner for Physical Planning recently visited what they referred to as a contravention site and sealed it up. However, “within a few days, the site has been reopened and Lekki Gardens has continued with the contraventions unabatedly,” Barrister Mba noted.
Consequently, OFSR appealed for the urgent and immediate stoppage of all the contraventions and the commissioning of a detailed planning audit and structural integrity appraisal of all Lekki Gardens projects/Foreshore Waters by the Ministry of physical planning and urban development.
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OSFRA trustees beg Lagos government to enforce building, environmental laws. OSFRA trustees beg Lagos government to enforce building, environmental laws.
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