To Save Lives, Lagos Begins Demolition Of Distressed Buildings In Ebute Metta

The Lagos State Government on Saturday began the demolition of distressed buildings in the Ebute-metta area of the state.

The demolition exercise was led by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide.

Olumide said occupants of the affected buildings, mostly on Oloto and Freeman Streets, had been served notices, while some were requested to conduct structural investigations to ascertain their integrity.

According to the commissioner, the government was compelled to resort to the demolition of the structures to protect lives as most of the buildings failed the structural integrity test.

“The primary responsibility of government is to protect lives, so we can not wait and allow the buildings to collapse and kill people,” a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mukaila Sanusi, quoted him as saying.

He stressed that the life of every Lagosian was of great value, and could not be traded for financial or any sort of political gain.

Olumide decried the situation in which occupants of affected buildings refused to evacuate the buildings after enough notice, adding that life was more important than buildings.

He enjoined owners of distressed buildings to take the initiative of pulling down the structures by themselves and not wait for the government to do so as the government would confiscate any land where it removed distressed structures.

On his part, the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki said the demolition of distressed structures in the area had become a necessity, considering the danger which the buildings posed to other adjoining structures and lives of other residents in the area.

“We cannot fold our arms and allow irregularities to continue to thrive in this area, where lives of innocent people would be at risk because of the lackadaisical attitude of a few individuals who have refused to do the right thing”, he said.

The LASBCA boss also appealed to residents of the state to always inform the government about distressed buildings and other physical planning infractions noticed within their neighbourhoods.