Illegal construction: Lagos govt. issues stop work order on petrol station

The Lagos State Government says it has issued a stop-work order on a petrol station illegally under construction without approval in Ajao Estate, in Isolo area of the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, in a statement on Thursday, said the order was important to avert disaster.

“The facility is being erected without any approval or stage-by-stage inspection by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) to ascertain quality of materials used.

“As a matter of fact, we cannot even be talking about checking for compliance against approval that was never given in the first place, and this is dangerous for the built environment as the safety and structural integrity of the facility can not be guaranteed,” he said.

Salako said the unapproved construction had become a growing concern for residents of the area, who petitioned the government against its continuation.

While reiterating the importance of building right, the commissioner emphasised that no construction should be carried out in Lagos State without Planning Permits and Stage certification by the regulatory authorities.

He said the Owner/Developer of the petrol station would be sanctioned for ignoring several warnings issued against the construction by LASBCA, which served contravention notices and stop-work orders on the builder.

Salako urged Lagos residents, particularly stakeholders in the built environment, to build right and support government’s efforts to combat building collapse.

He urged them to support efforts to ensure “a livable and sustainable physical environment as enshrined in the THEMES Agenda of the Lagos State Government”.

The statement was signed and made available to journalists by Mr Mukaila Sanusi, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.