Be whistle blowers on distressed buildings, Lagos government begs residents
• Sets up committee to unravel cause of building collapse
The Lagos State government has implored residents of the state to be whistle blowers to alert the government about defective and distressed buildings within their communities. The Commissioner for Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, said this is important because the state officials cannot be in parts of the state, so it needs community members to provide prompt information.
Ogunleye said this yesterday while setting up a committee to investigate the cause of the building that collapsed in Lagos Island last week, which killed 20 people, majorly children and wounded 45 others. He added that it is important that residents alert government to also serve as a check to officials who want to compromise on distressed buildings.
According to him, it is to prevent a reoccurrence and have a firm policy direction to halting building collapse in the state. The committee, headed by Wasiu Olokunola, a former permanent secretary, was given two weeks to report back to the Ministry.
Ogunleye said specifically the five-man panel to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the collapsed three-storey building at Ita-Faaji area of Lagos Island, was important to have the root cause of the collapse so that it would help the ministry take pragmatic decision about checking building collapse. Ogunleye said the panel was also to determine the level of negligence on the part of the developer or owner and the role of the state government.
Chairman of the panel, Olokunola, said the committee would ensure it did a thorough job as the members were capable and versed in the built industry.
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