The Lagos State Government has said that the recent demolition of distressed buildings in the Alaba International Market was neither a witch-hunt nor intended to acquire the land but done to protect lives by averting impending disaster.
The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), Mr Gbolahan Oki, said this at the weekend during an on-the-spot assessment of the demolition site.
Oki visited the market amid heavy downpours alongside his counterpart in the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Mr. Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.
They were led on the trip by Mr. Oluwole Sotire, the Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
TSouth-East traders in the market, led by Imo State Governor, Mr. Hope Uzodimma, had met with Governor Sanwo-Olu to put to rest allegations of tribal bias behind the demolition exercise.
During the on-the-spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.
According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, and necessary documentation needed by the state government was also ignored.
“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.
“I have seen people painting buildings that are dilapidated, that are not good, it is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.
Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else the government would move in to take action.
“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.
The General Manager said Sanwo-Olu set up the seven-man committee to look into the demolition without causing disaffection among the traders at the Alaba International Market.
He said LASBCA officials were usually prevented from enforcing laws by people who failed to get building plan approvals or those who did an illegal conversion of their properties.
The LASBCA boss waded through flash floods to issue a stop work order on a contractor on site from the Ojo Local Government, for amicable resolution of all issues.
He assured protesters carrying placards that the government had their interests covered with the appointment of an additional 17-man sub-committee compromising their market leadership, for quicker resolution of issues.
Oki explained why distressed buildings were being demolished and the need for some of the traders to do regularisation.
He said this was because of issues of land grabbers selling one land to several people as well as the need to correct haphazard development.
