LASG MANDATES COMMERCIAL PREMISES IN OGUDU TO PRODUCE PLANNING PERMITS
In view of repeated contraventions of the State’s physical planning laws by some recalcitrant organisations, the Lagos State Government has requested owners of commercial premises in Ogudu GRA to produce their enabling Planning Permits.
Speaking on the development, the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako expressed the State government’s determination to stop the flagrant abuse of its planning laws and engender a culture of compliance among the people.
His words: “The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, on Wednesday, served contravention notices and stop-work orders on 38 commercial buildings, including banks, eateries, malls and hotels on Ogudu Road in Ogudu GRA in line with our determination to curb flagrant disobedience of the law”.
“We shall continue to enforce compliance and sensitise the people to do the needful so that we can achieve in earnest our goal of an organised, orderly, livable and sustainable environment for the benefit of all”, Salako stated.
The Commissioner stressed that government would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions including sealing and removal of contravening buildings, where necessary, as well as the imposition of penalties on erring property developers.
Salako warned developers not to confuse penal fees with approval to carry on illegal building construction, saying that reliance on payment of penal fees alone to continue developing a building would amount to an untoward act which is reprehensible.
“To discourage unapproved building construction, penalty is usually imposed for non-conformity with building approvals such as illegal change of use, altering number of units or floors and unapproved renovation among others”, he said.
Maintaining that the penal fee was cautionary and only a condition precedent to making the right submissions to the approving authorities, Salako urged property owners and developers to always make honest submissions when applying for Planning Permits and ensure strict compliance to the dictates of the Permit granted by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA).
The exercised, which also involved the Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba and the Permanent Secretary, Arc. Foluso Dipe, was carried out by the Ministry alongside the Monitoring and Enforcement Unit (MCU) of LASPPPA, operatives of the Special Operations Team, Governor’s Office and the Kosofe District Office of LASPPPA.
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