Following the collapse of a seven-story structure nearby, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the demolition of three two-story buildings at Banana Island.
On Saturday, Sanwo-Olu issued the directive while visiting the scene of the fallen seven-story building and surveying other island infrastructure.
He issued an order to demolish the two-story building at 310 Close because it was an unauthorized, unlawful structure.
The governor also ordered the demolition of two-story structures next to each other at 306 Close because they were built beneath a power line and water.
Speaking at the site of the fallen seven-story building, he attributed the regrettable tragedy to the developers’ negligence and some locals’ desire to earn quick cash.
Sanwo-Olu also accused the National Inland Waterways Authority and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing of approving the extension of the Banana Island line.
He claims that the incident demonstrates that the Lagos State building officers are not aware of their duties and that any guilty personnel will face consequences.
“We are at the site of the last unfortunate building collapse in Banana Island Lagos. Like it has been reported before now, there has been a lot of investigation that is going on right now and you can see that they are still clearing the rubbles at the site.
“We have given an order to stop work, not only at this site but also in all of the construction sites in Banana Island.
“I think that the exercise we are doing today is not really just about this location. You have all seen the extent of what I will call unapproved extension into the water, at the back of each of the land that is abutting water.
“You can see that the original line for Banana Island is even not where we are. It’s way in front there and you can see that there are several extensions that have been granted by both the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and NIWA.
“These are the two federal agencies that have been culpable for those extensions.
“From what I have been told all of the four buildings at the back have never even applied for approvals. The illegality is real and so that is why we are going round other properties in Banana Island.
“Excuses have been given that they don’t have access and this is not acceptable. This is a total recklessness of all of the developers and we will make a strong point out of this place and all-around Banana Island and in other developments that we have,” he said.
The governor announced the creation of a seven-member external commission with a two-week mandate to independently determine what went wrong.
He said that the committee’s recommendations would help the administration create a solid work plan that could be carried out moving ahead.
“We have had to change staff here and there so that we can bring forward robust and very strong monitoring offices. But we believe that we are still far from, we are still short on it, I must say.
‘“We will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that we keep the lives of our residents safe at all times,” Sanwo-Olu said.
