The Lagos State Government has asked owners of commercial buildings in Ogudu GRA to produce their enabling building permits.
The request follows repeated contraventions of the state’s physical planning laws by some recalcitrant individuals and organizations.
While speaking on the development, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, expressed the State government’s determination to stop the flagrant abuse of its planning laws and engender a culture of compliance among the people.
Salako said, “The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, on Wednesday, served contravention notices and stop-work orders on 38 commercial buildings, including banks, eateries, malls and hotels on Ogudu Road in Ogudu GRA in line with our determination to curb flagrant disobedience of the law.’’
“We shall continue to enforce compliance and sensitize the people to do the needful so that we can achieve in earnest our goal of an organized, orderly, livable and sustainable environment for the benefit of all.’’
The Commissioner reiterated that government would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions including sealing and pulling down of contravening buildings, where necessary, as well as the imposition of penalties on erring property developers.
Going further, Salako warned property developers not to confuse penal fees with approval to go ahead with construction of the illegal building, saying that reliance on payment of penal fees alone to continue developing a building would amount to an untoward act which is reprehensible.
He said, “To discourage unapproved building construction, the penalty is usually imposed for non-conformity with building approvals such as illegal change of use, altering a number of units or floors and unapproved renovation among others.’’
While maintaining that the penal fee was cautionary and only a condition precedent to making the right submissions to the approving authorities, Salako urged property owners and developers to always make honest submissions when applying for Planning Permits and ensure strict compliance to the dictates of the permit granted by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA).
