BY Bolanle Olabimtan
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, has ordered the demolition of illegally built structures in Banana Island.
Sanwo-Olu said this on Saturday when he led a delegation of government representatives for an on-site evaluation of a seven-story structure – under construction – which recently collapsed in the Banana Island area.
According to a statement by Gboyega Akosile, chief press secretary to the governor, some buildings have already been marked for demolition following the governor’s order.
Akosile said the governor blamed the collapse of the seven-storey building on the ‘reckless’ operations of some developers who get illegal approval from government agencies.
The governor blamed the federal ministry of works and housing and the National Inland Waterways Authority for allegedly granting an extension of the line of Banana Island.
“You have all seen the extent of what I will call an unapproved extension into the water. You can see that the original line for Banana Island is even not where we are,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“It is way in front there and you can see that several extensions have been granted by both the federal ministry of works and housing and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions.
“They have done these extensions even without our knowledge. We have the responsibility for building approvals and from what I have been told, all of the four buildings around the collapsed building never applied for approval.
“This is total recklessness of the developers and we will make a strong point out of this place and all around Banana Island. Any officers found culpable will also be sanctioned.”
The governor further disclosed that an external seven-man committee has been set up by the state government to independently ascertain the remote cause of the recent building collapse.
He said the committee, which should complete its investigations towards the end of next week, has “two weeks to independently ascertain what has gone wrong”.
He added that their findings “will further strengthen” a work plan that can be enforced going forward.
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