.Insists demolished Oworonshoki property illegal
Lagos State Government has announced that all barriers hindering residents from securing building approvals have been removed, assuring that approvals are now issued within 10 working days once applicants submit verified and genuine documents.
It further disclosed that applications can now be processed online, provided they are accompanied by a government-approved survey plan, thereby eliminating stress and delays.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, made this known at the maiden quarterly media briefing on the state of Lagos’ physical environment held at the ministry’s conference room in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, more residents are showing interest in processing planning permits, as these documents are often required during embassy interviews or for loan applications.
He emphasized that no structural development would henceforth be allowed within the metropolis without evidence of tax payment, adding that compliance will simplify and fast-track approvals depending on the nature of each project.
Olumide revealed that the ministry will soon appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to extend the amnesty period for residents willing to regularize their building approvals, which was initially set from May to December 2024.
He also disclosed plans to establish a new agency to oversee informal spaces not captured in existing urban plans, including setbacks, high-tension areas, and gas pipeline corridors — covering over 3,000 hectares. The agency, according to him, will be launched by the Governor next month.
The commissioner added that areas reserved for strategic purposes such as parks and wetlands would also be closely monitored by the agency.
He noted that the ministry will continue to partner with private organizations, citing Zenith Bank’s transformation of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island into a popular recreational attraction.
Commending the Technical Services Department for its support, Olumide said the department attends to at least 20 petitions daily, mostly concerning violations of Lagos State physical planning laws.
On the issue of illegal estates, he reaffirmed that the 176 estates earlier declared illegal remain so because they were built outside approved master plans, in violation of due process.
He challenged anyone from the affected estates who feels wrongly accused to come forward, stressing that possession of a Certificate of Occupancy does not exempt them from government enforcement.
Responding to concerns about the recent demolition in Iyana Oworo, Dr. Olumide explained that those affected were illegal occupants who had been adequately informed before the exercise.
He added that structures built under high-tension wires, along gas pipelines, on drainage channels, and within setbacks without proper engineering analysis pose threats to lives and would eventually be demolished.
.Insists demolished Oworonshoki property illegal
Meanwhile, The Lagos State Government says property it recently demolished at Oworonshoki were illegal and posed significant risks to the occupants.
The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said this at a news conference at Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that residents of Oworonshoki staged a protest on Monday, disrupting traffic flow on the Third Mainland Bridge.
The protest followed demolition of some buildings in their community.
The demolition was targeted at unapproved structures on the Lekki and Oworonshoki coastal lines.
The commissioner told journalists that the property were illegal.
He emphasised that engagements preceded the demolition, contrary to claims that Lagos State Government did not give any notice before the demolition.
“We don’t disclose the time of enforcement, but the fact is that there is always engagement before any enforcement,” he said.
He expressed dissatisfaction at the cycle of squatter settlements on coastal areas, where initial makeshift shelters evolved into concrete structures often involving illegal land sales by local claimants known as “omo onile”.
The commissioner highlighted dangers of unapproved structures, citing examples where buildings without proper engineering became distressed and threatened lives.
According to him, when a building is marked as distressed, it means it is no longer suitable for habitation.
He recalled an incident at Ebute Meta area of Lagos, where a distressed building collapsed and killed an 83-year-old man.
The commissioner outlined categories of structures that can be demolished in Lagos State to include structures under high-tension lines, those on gas lines, buildings on drainage paths/setbacks, and those without approval.
He added that building on an informal or not-ready-to-use land owned by the state government would attract demolition.
“In the case of Iyano Oworo, they don’t even have approval; hence the demolition.
On possible compensation, Olumide said it would be wrong to use taxpayers’ money to compensate illegal occupants.
“Should the government use tax payers’ hard-earned money to pay somebody for an illegal structure? Is that fair? No,” he said.
The commissioner advised members of the public to be vigilant when purchasing land to avoid building on unapproved land.
“Some of them claim to be local landowners, the so-called ‘omo onile’ and say that their forefathers owned the place, and they start selling the land, which is illegal,” he said.
Olumide said there was the need to follow due process in land acquisition
He urged prospective buyers to verify the legitimacy of land titles and comply with planning regulations before buying to avoid losing their investments. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Read more on Champion Newspapers Limited
