Lagos State Government has debunked reports stipulating that it revoked all existing building permits.
Gatekeepers News reports that the government noted that it had opened a three-month amnesty window from May 2 to July 30, 2024, allowing property owners to obtain or perfect their planning permits without usual statutory penalties.
Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Oloye Olusegun revealed this through a statement released.
He noted that this clarification is needed due to a misleading headline report in an online news medium, stating that the State Government revoked all existing building permits.
Olusegun clarified, “It should be noted that the issuance of a Planning Permit is the prerogative of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, which is under the supervision of the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development.”
“The directive issued by the Special Adviser on eGIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, was that Letters of Authorisation to commence construction, issued by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, needed to be revalidated because most developers, after obtaining the letter to commence construction, fall short of engaging all relevant professionals in the building projects.”
He added that the revalidation was to allow the agency to conduct a proper audit and authentication of all the professionals who would be engaged in building construction in the state.
The director said, “Dr Babatunde also disclosed that buildings under construction that had been abandoned for a long time needed to be re-certified before recommencement of construction to ascertain the structural stability of the building project.”
“He directed that henceforth, nobody should sleep in buildings undergoing construction, all construction work should not go beyond 7 pm every day, and there should be no building construction work on Sundays.”
According to him; Special Adviser further directed that property owners and developers should revalidate all letters of authorisation to commence building construction issued to them.
He continued, “Dr Babatunde called on developers to always ensure that all relevant professionals in the built environment, such as civil/structural, electrical, and mechanical engineers, and architects, are engaged in building construction.”
The state Government had extended provision of amnesty for owners and developers of existing buildings by three months without planning approvals in the state.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide revealed this during a recent press briefing in Ikeja.
He said, “Considering the high rate of applications since the beginning of the amnesty programme, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the extension of the programme by another three months, starting from August 1, 2024, to the end of October 2024 to allow more people to benefit from it.”
