PERMANENT SECRETARY WARNS LASBCA OFFICIALS AGAINST CONDONING ILLEGALITY

 

...Calls For Voluntary Compliance of Developers With State Building Codes

The newly deployed Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Engr. Olalekan  Shodeinde has charged Officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) not to condone illegality in the discharge of their duties but to help developers and builders to ensure compliance with building codes and best practices in the built industry.

Engr. Shodeinde gave the charge on Monday at the inaugural meeting with officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) at the Agency’s headquarters in Ikeja.

The Permanent Secretary, while expressing his confidence in the ability of the professionals in the agency to stem the tide of building collapses and illegalities in the built industry in the State, called for concerted efforts from all members of staff, especially those on the field, to ensure that the mandates of the agency are achieved.

He pleaded with officers of the agency not to compromise in their statutory duties of ensuring the safety and stability of structures across Lagos. He emphasises the need for professionals in the agency who are regulators not to condone irregularity but to shun corruption and be firm and decisive in their actions while assisting in achieving compliance with rules and regulations in the construction industry.

He said, “There will be consequences for any individual, including LASBCA staff members, found compromising on standards or engaging in practices that could jeopardise the safety of structures in the State. I am here today to plead with you not to condone any illegality as there is no room for such in the present administration”.

Earlier in his welcome remark, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki (FNIA) described the redeployment of the Permanent Secretary to the Office of Urban Development as a homecoming to familiar terrain.

Arc. Oki took the Permanent Secretary through the activities and major initiatives of the agency in the last four years, noting that the agency did not allow its various challenges to stand against achieving its mandates during the period under review.

He pledged the maximum cooperation of officers of the agency in ensuring the success of the Permanent Secretary in his new assignment.

Lagos State Building Control Agency is one of the agencies under the Office of Urban Development recently created by the Governor in the restructuring of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for effective service delivery.