* Warns against unauthorized dredging
The Lagos State government, on Saturday, demolished an illegal structure on Banana Island, saying it was constructed on unauthorised reclaimed land to obstruct drainage paths.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Oluyinka Olumide, who led the exercise, also ordered the demolition of unapproved fences.
Olumide was accompanied by the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, who decried the rate at which property owners and developers disregard building code, hence the demolition to compel compliance.
LASBCA is an agency under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
The commissioner warned against illegal reclamation of land in the State, saying individuals do not have the right to reclaim land without requisite permission from the ministry charged with that responsibility.
He warned that land reclamation is an exclusive right of the government, which usually carries out required tests through sand-filling, adding that residents should follow the processes for land acquisition to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Olumide said the demolished structure violated a suspension order issued by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during his assessment visit to the site earlier in the year.
He said it was discovered then that the developer illegally dredged the river to reclaim the land without recourse to any approving authority.
The commissioner warned that indiscriminate dredging activities in the area must stop, adding that they violate Planning Laws and impacts negatively on the ecosystem.
“We need to stop people’s believe that they are above the law, once you have law, every body is supposed to be controlled by the law which is supposed to guide the society.
“Here, lawless activities are taking place whereby people are on their own deliberately reclaiming land for the purpose of their own developments which is very bad.
“The power line was even made at the centre of the lagoon, the ceiling is almost reaching the power line which is not safe for human habitation,” he said.
The General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, recalled that the construction site had been sealed three times but the developers broke government seal to continue construction work.
Oki said the developers did not have building plan approvals, and did not have layout approvals.
He advised residents to always carry out the necessary checks and documentations by visiting the district offices across local governments to get the right information.
He advised residents to get Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) and building plan approval or regularisation before moving to site.
“My duty is to remove anything illegal,” he said.
Oki said breaking the seals contravened the building code, adding that illegal land reclamation activities would be punished.
He said all buildings involved in unapproved shoreline extensions along the Lagos Waterfront would be demolished and their developers prosecuted.
He urged all intending building owners to always ensure due diligence before construction, including obtaining the necessary documentations from relevant agencies of the government.
– NAN