…Insists On Relocating Ikeja Computer Village, Okobaba Sawmill, Mile 12
Market
The Lagos State Government has placed embargo on approval
for construction of filling stations in all parts of the State till further
notice, while a definite action will soon be taken on indiscriminate
construction of event centres across the State, Commissioner for Physical
Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose has said.
Anifowose, who said this on Tuesday at the ongoing
Ministerial Press briefing in Alausa as part of activities marking the
second-year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, said
government had already resolved not to grant construction permit for filling
stations pending the inventory of existing ones.
Responding to issue of oil spillage in Alimosho, Anifowose
said the decision of government was necessary in view of the need to take
proper inventory of the existing filling stations with the view to determining
those that should be removed, all in a bid to ensure public safety.
According to him, “What happened in Alimosho was because of
pipeline vandalism. If people have not been greedy to vandalize pipeline, we
will not be seeing what is happening. But be rest assured that no permit for
filling station in Lagos State till further notice. I have told the General
Manager of the concerned agency; the management team of the agency has taken a
decision and we will not grant any approval until we take inventory and see
what we have.”
He said the State Government was also working with the
Federal Government to relocate Tank Farms in residential areas in Apapa, adding
that a definite pronouncement would be made in that in regard in due course.
The Commissioner also warned owners of structures under high
tension cables to relocate in their best interest as government would spare no
effort in removing such illegal structures, adding that Event Centres illegally
located would also be demolished.
He said: “When this government came on board, what we did
was that we set up a Committee and they are going round the State to take
inventory of Event Centres. I like to state categorically that any development
that does not comply with the Master Plan of the area of location will be
removed. So, our agency is already working on it and they should be able to
give us report in the next three to four weeks.”
Speaking on activities of the Ministry in the last one year,
Anifowose said due to proactive steps and reforms initiated, the State
Government, in the period under review, achieved considerable reduction in
building collapse, and reiterated that it was still an offence in the State for
any physical developments including renovation, fencing, demolition and so on
to be embarked upon without approval.
“I must urge all Lagosians to partner with the State
Government in reporting illegal developments and developers or owners of
buildings who cut corners and use substandard materials in construction work.
Furthermore, it is considered a necessity that prospective buyers or tenants
should demand for the Planning Permit or Layout Approval of a building or
estate respectively before down payments are made, to deter developers or
owners from circumventing the law,” Anifowose said.
Besides, Anifowose said during the period under review, a
total of 5,499 structures were served with Contravention and Stop Work Notices,
while between May 2016 and February 2017, a total of 2,340 plans were submitted
and out of which 1,078 were granted Planning Permits. Also, 242 applications
for Planning Information were received; 174 approved, while others were being
processed.
In the last 23 months, the Commissioner said 30 provisional
layout approvals were granted and 28 final layouts, while government embarked
on preparation of development guide plans in Igborosun Excised village in
Badagry, Ikola-Odunsi in Alimosho and 13 Excised villages were granted
Approval-in-Principle within Ikorodu, Ibeju-Lekki and Eti-Osa.
He said aside the fact that government has paid compensation
on properties demolished for right of way for major projects, efforts are also
ongoing to relocate Computer Village in Ikeja to world class ICT Park,
Katangowa in Agbado/Oke-Odo, while efforts are in top gear to relocate Mile 12
Market to Imota and Okobaba Sawmill to Agbowa
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