…fingers lack of political will
Piqued by the incessant collapse of building recorded in the state, the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration for lack of required political will and policy formulation void of greed to galvanize the housing sector.
The PDP took a swipe on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led government over a clear disconnect between the quantitative growth of buildings and the qualitative requirements, occasioned by the government’s alleged self-centred approach to governance, which is directly taking a negative toll on people’s wellbeing across the state.
It would be recalled that the state government appointed Mr Paul Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins as the new Commissioner for physical planning and Urban Development following the resignation of the former occupier of the office – Dr.Idris Salako threw in the towel, owing to the incessant building collapse in the state.
In a statement signed by PDP Lagos Publicity Secretary Hon.Hakeem Amode, the near total dysfunctional state of Lagos building industry was depicted while tracing its root cause to the lackadaisical nature of the government to handling a very germane frame of the state’s socio-economic standards – Housing sector.
The statement read in part: “Escalating rate of building collapse occurrences in Lagos State the recent times calls for concern and attention of the people of the state to this endemic which have claimed over 100 lives in less than a year.
“ Our party, the Peoples Democratic Party – PDP is greatly disturbed by the enormous devastation in loss of lives and properties as well as disruption in socio economic and quality of life in the state.
“The reflection of not less than five buildings collapsing with about one hundred lives lost is an indication that the quantitative growth of buildings in the state is not at par with the qualitative requirements.
The PDP also picked a hole in the seemingly compromised manner of selecting those who superintends the agencies seeing to the functionality of the sector.
“Appointments of persons into the agencies that regulate building designs approval and construction supervisory is laced with incompetency, nepotism and a sole aim of protecting the interest of an individual with sole aimed of enslaving the state to achieve personal ambitions.
“The agencies lacks the will and influence on a lot of building development decisions, fraught with corruption, greed and ineptitude. Although, professionals are to abide strictly to building codes, the building codes are also meant to be updated to meet up with the high standard of construction but the state agencies had been found lacking in this regards.
“The reputation of the professionals in the building industry who go about their duties independently without an established forum against the anomalies surrounding this incessant collapses cannot be good for the state and their professional advancement in the industry.
Counselling the APC government on the way forward, the Lagos PDP maintained that it is essential that thorough investigation is carried out by professionals in the sector to forestall any other unforeseen collapse anytime soon.
“It is important for us as to call on the league of professionals in the industry to conduct a thorough investigation and understanding of the situations leading to these unfortunate incidences, which is currently showing the ineptitude and incompetency of the APC administration in Lagos state beyond the government’s daily branding and showcasing of its cosmetics and self-centred governance and policy directions which evidently lack human face.
“In addition to insecurity, public ill-health, bad governance and poverty among other inhibits endemics the government of APC has bestowed on the people of this country in the last seven years, confronting building collapsed disaster would be a serious threat to the achievement of sustainable development that the global community is expected of the Lagos state considering its position as the largest economy in west Africa and centre of excellence in Nigeria.
“Lagos State is particularly peculiar due to its location and economic status which has continually attracted people from different parts of the country as well as internationally.
“The continued increase in population cannot be divorced from the major economic role the state is playing in the country as an important centre of commerce and major industries in Nigeria.
“It is evident that the unabated population growth has influenced growth in building stock for residential, commercial, industrial and other land uses.
“The Administration of His Excellency Dr. AbdulAzeez Olajide Adediran is well prepared and equipped to increase the political will for more effective policy formulation and implementation in the building industry in the state.
“ His plans towards removal of constraints and obstacles relating to coordination and synergy-building among professionals and encouragement of result-oriented public participation in urban development is top-notch with an expected outcome that increase knowledge and outcomes towards sustainable urban neighbourhoods especially in Lagos state.” Amode said.