Lagos to intensify demolition of defective buildings

The Lagos State Government has said it will intensify efforts to demolish distressed buildings across the state to check the spate of building collapse and safeguard lives and property.

Gbenga Omotosho, Commissioner for Information, stated this while featuring as a guest on TVC News This Morning programme.

The move came as several incidents of building collapse were recorded across the state in recent times. At least eight people died after a three-story building collapsed in the Ebute-Metta part of the state during the first week of May.

Also, another two-storey building at Ago Palace collapsed the week after, but no casualty was recorded.

Omotosho, however, urged residents of the state to be responsive by reporting to appropriate quarters if construction is taking place in a building that had already been marked for demolition.

Read also: Lagos records four building collapses in 6 months

The Commissioner expressed dismay with the rate of building in the state, stressing that the government was on top of the situation.

He however, said only identified defective buildings would be demolished.

According to Omotosho, “Government pulled down six houses in about a week, yes this is going to continue, and the government will keep demolishing.

“It is very easy for everybody to ask the question of what the government is doing, it is very easy to say that the ball is always in the court of the government, but I want Lagosians to be thinking.

“We talked about our rights and privileges, but we should also spare a thought for responsibility. We all should be responsible.

“If the government has gone to mark a house and then people are going to create another entrance through the back, and go in there to build at night and weekends when they know that enforcement officers are not around, neighbours have a duty, a responsibility to humanity to raise an alarm”.