Only 15% property owners have approvals – Lagos govt

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that only 15 per cent of property owners in the state have building approvals, while only 75 per cent have complied with the physical planning laws

This comes as the state government is set to review the urban developmental plans to meet infrastructure demand while creating opportunities for stakeholders to take advantage of investments at the maiden Physical Planning Summit.

The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, and his Information and Strategy counterpart, Gbenga Omotoso, stated this during a media briefing on Wednesday, at Alausa, Ikeja, to herald the Physical Planning Summit scheduled to take place on October 15 and 16 at Victoria Island, Lagos, where stakeholders are to brainstorm on ways to chart a better course for the state development.

The summit with the theme, ‘Thinking Lagos: A new vision for a regional and integrated megacity,’ will have stakeholders from both the private and public sectors to address challenges in physical planning within the State.

Olumide said, “Statistics show that only 15 per cent of property owners have building approvals, while 75 per cent property owners have complied with the state physical planning laws.

“We are committed to being able to benchmark accordingly and arrive at the master plan. Building approval in Lagos is below 25 per cent. Across the country, we have between 18 to 28 per cent and the highest is 32 per cent.

“We have a lot of challenges so we must ensure that we increase the percentage. This is one planet earth we have and everyone has a name, the same thing applies to structures, every building must get approval.”

He highlighted some of the buildings that are due for demolition in the state which include, building without approval, structures under high tension, power lines, buildings on drainages, buildings on gas lines among others.

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