Economy: Lekki Gardens out to build…

Perhaps more than any other thing since he took over as Governor of Lagos State, last May, Akinwumi Ambode’s reaction to the news of the collapse of a five storey building under construction on Kushenla Road, Ikate Elegushi, Lekki, revealed his no nonsense disposition. At dawn that fateful Tuesday March 15, 2016, Ambode marched on to the accident scene accompanied by all relevant aides, for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and support rescue efforts on the site.

 

The Governor showed anger. He immediately gave a 24-hour ultimatum within which the promoters of Messrs Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited, owners of the collapsed building should present themselves to the police or be arrested. A statement issued by state commissioner for information, Steve Ayorinde, also quoted Ambode as having warned that it will no longer be business as usual for unscrupulous developers in the state and that any developer handling building projects without complying with regulations or found trying to subvert the law will henceforth face criminal prosecution. Two days later, Managing Director of Lekki Gardens,  Nyong Richard and one of the contractors handling the project Odofin Taiwo Henry handed themselves over to the police and were charged the next day.

 

When Ambode visited the site and spoke about the incident again one week later, 34 people had been confirmed dead and of course, the Governor was angrier. To show this, he declared the Lekki accident as “one building collapse too many” and ordered the evacuation of Lekki Garden estates within 14 days. Amobode said further: “The State Government will undertake a stability test on all other buildings constructed by the developer in the state, whether occupied or not, to ascertain their structural stability. The developer will pay for the cost of the tests. Any building found to be defective would be demolished.”

 

In promising that there would no longer be sacred cows and that every infraction will be punished when incidents like this happen , Ambode said that the government will going forward , carry out an audit of all structures in the state to ascertain the state of planning approval and evaluate the physical development against the approved building plans. He went ahead to announce punitive measures against officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, including the sack of the General Manager, Adeigbe Olushola. He also sacked the Head of Inspection and Quality Control in the Agency, Adeoye Thomas Adeyemi, the Zonal District Officer in the Agency, Dosunmu Gbadebo, while the Zonal Head of Eti-Osa West of the Agency, Akinde Adenike Sherifat was compulsorily retired from the state civil service.

 

In addition to the termination of appointment of these civil servants, the Governor initiated institutional reforms with the establishment of a five-man committee to examine the Urban and Regional Planning Law of the State as it affects the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).This committee which is chaired by a past President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria TPL  Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, among other building professionals is to examine the operations of LASBCA and make recommendations for changes that will ensure effective service delivery, recommend organisational re-structure and appropriate manpower for effective operation of LASBCA, study the legal and operational issues affecting the functioning of the Materials Testing Laboratory and other matters that will enhance the efficient functioning of the two organisations.

All of these indicate that the governor is determined to revamp the decay of institutions that have become an incurable malaise in our society. And this sign that the governor is interested in the sustainable development of his state rather than the so ephemeral impact that would barely survive one year after his exit.

 

As commendable as the efforts and steps taken by the Governor is however, he must be conscious of the importance of not smearing the reputation of one of the foremost indigenous companies in the building sector of the Nigerian economy. With Nigeria said to have a 17 million housing units deficit currently and chances that the federal government will not be able to fulfil its campaign pledge to provide 1 million units for Nigerians yearly, the country cannot afford to run down any of the big players in the industry especially as the company does not have any history of collapse or poor quality delivery until now.

 

At the moment, the Lekki Gardens is said to have singlehandedly delivered affordable housing units for 4500 families with an additional 10,000 in the pipeline in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos. This is within less than five years that the company was established. It is doubtful that even the federal government can boast of such a milestone. What is even more interesting about the philosophy behind Lekki Gardens is the founder’s avowed commitment to provide affordable homes for middle class families in posh areas which were hitherto populated by the upper echelon of the society. The young company, has to a large extent achieved this aim of bringing comfort and confidence back to an otherwise vanishing middle class.

 

Apart from the number of homes which this company has singlehandedly constructed across the country, it has also contributed to reducing the burden of unemployment in the country. At last count, Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited is said to have about 350 people in direct employment and another 10,000 indirectly employed. The sustenance of thousands of dependents no doubt hangs on these employees.

 

This is why the Lagos State government needs to avoid any action that will diminish the capacity of this company from continuing in business. Of course, it is expected that investigations will be conducted into the immediate and remote causes of the unfortunate incident that left more than 30 people dead, it would be presumptuous to give the impression that the company has behaved irresponsibly or contrary to the laws of the land at the moment.

 

While the idea of a stability test on all or some of these buildings is not bad in itself, the directive by the Governor that all occupants of houses built by Lekki Gardens must vacate immediately is capable of causing panic and affecting the prospect of the company to fulfil its commitment to its numerous customers, employees and the nation in general. We cannot afford to throw away the baby with the bathwater as shaming this company only to realise that they have not flouted any law would portend.

 

There have been insinuations that there might be some political motive behind the Governor’s seemingly hard posture on the owners of these properties but I am persuaded to discountenance this suggestion knowing that every government desires the support of responsible corporate entities. It would therefore be antithetical to encourage entrepreneurship in one breath and pull down existing and successful investments in another. That promoters of the Lekki Gardens are young Nigerians, is to my mind a cheery piece of news and a man like Managing Director Richard Nyong should be seen a role model to stimulate the hunger for hard work in our teeming young populace. He is a symbol of the reward in hardwork and encouraging him would impact on the psyche of young Nigerians tremendously.

 

One understands that the role of the Governor is very tricky here but in his effort to protect the citizenry he also must maintain the delicate balance needed for the survival of economic investments and growth in the state.

 Sylvester Omanga