Ambode: Governor orders demolition of other defective Lekki Gardens structures

Ambode vowed that his administration will ensure the incessant building collapses in the state comes to an end.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday, March 15, says all the buildings in the state developed by Lekki Gardens will undergo stability test, and the ones found defective will be demolished, whether they are occupied or not.

Speaking to newsmen after inspecting the collapsed building in Elegushi, Lekki area of Lagos State, Ambode vowed that his administration will ensure the incessant building collapses in the state comes to an end.

The five-storey building, which was near completion, collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, March 8, 2016, leaving 35 people dead and several injured.

The Managing Director of Lekki Gardens, owners of the building, and the contractor have since been arrested and remanded in prison pending conclusion of police investigations.

According to the Governor, “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 the cost of the tests.  Any building found to be defective would be demolished. For those that pass the integrity test the developer will pay a penalty for any over development on the site."

Ambode said henceforth, government will carry out an audit of all structures in the state to ascertain those with planning approval or not and evaluate the physical development against the approved building plans, saying that details of the plan will be made public soon.

“I want to assure you that there will no longer be any sacred cows. If there is failure of duty, there will be sanctions.

“I also want to seize this opportunity to assure Lagosians that the State Government will do everything within its powers to check the excesses of Developers who flout its regulations and will restore efficiency and confidence in the building control and supervision process,” the Governor said.

He disclosed that he has instituted 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).

The Committee is to be chaired by TPL (Dr) Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, a past President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria.

READ: Death toll in crumbled 5-storey house rise to 35; contractor arrested

However, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, has advised all occupants of the structures by Lekki Gardens to vacate the buildings immediately as their safety is priority to the government.

“The gentleman behind Lekki Gardens got approval for ground, first, second and third floors, but after doing the roofing, he removed it and added additional two floors which caused the building to collapse. So, we have to carry out integrity test on the other structures and the cost implication for present occupiers of the other structures to vacate the buildings would be borne by the developer,” Anifowose said.

Pulse recalls that Governor Ambode on Monday, March 14, sacked four officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) for negligence over the collapsed building.