koyi collapsed building: Lagos Assembly seeks compensation for bereaved families

Ikeja, Nov. 8, 2021 (NAN) Lagos House of Assembly has called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to compensate families of the victims of the collapsed 21-storey building in Ikoyi.

The lawmakers also urged the governor to direct relevant agencies to ensure that all requirements for buildings, as stipulated in the extant laws of the state, were strictly adhered to.

The assembly arrived at the resolution, sequel to a motion moved by Mr Nurein Akinsanya (Mushin I), during plenary on Monday in Lagos.

Akinsanya, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, expressed worries over the incessant collapse of buildings in the state.

He said: “The House expresses worries over the wide speculations that the building was raised to 21 floors, contrary to the 15 floors approved by the State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) for the owner.

“This house is also worried that over time, the state has recorded series of building collapse, like the five-storey building that collapsed in Lekki in November 2006 and the three-storey building that collapsed in Ita Faaji, Lagos Island in 2016, among others.

“The house is disturbed about the manner in which the agencies set up to inspect building works, gives certifications at various stages of construction.

“Therefore, we have realised that these frequent cases of building collapse can be attributed to unqualified or unskilled builders, use of sub-standard building materials, illegal conversion or alterations to existing structures and lack of maintenance, to mention a few.”

In his submission, Mr Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu I) implored his colleagues to support the motion, noting that it was well-couched.

Reacting, Mr Oluyinka Ogundimu (Agege II) said that the motion was all-encompassing, as the second part of it had given the committee the power to go into details, all in the interest of the public.

Another lawmaker, Mr David Setonji (Badagry II) said that many factors might be responsible for the collapsed building, such as bad design and structural defects.

The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, while speaking on the motion, said that it was an unfortunate development, given the loss of lives and the attendant economic woes, adding that it was a disaster.

“We should exercise patience before passing comment. We should wait until the committee looking into it unravels the cause.

“The agencies saddled with the responsibility have not done well. We ought to act as a house to oversight the situation.

“The status of the investors should be checked, and we should commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives.

“Government should also compensate the families. If the agencies had done the needful, we would not have this sad occurrence,” he said.

The assembly, therefore, mandated the house committee on physical planning and urban development to invite the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development and other agencies.

According to the lawmakers, agencies to be invited are the ones saddled with the responsibilities of issuing approval and monitoring construction and project development.

The assembly said that this had become necessary in order to ascertain the level of compliance with the extant laws and regulations relating to buildings in the state.

Earlier, the lawmakers had observed a minute silence for the repose of the souls of those who died in the building collapse.