Take Advantage Of Amnesty On Building Approval, Sanwo-Olu Tells Lagosians

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised property owners in the state to take advantage of the amnesty window granted by the state government to perfect their building approval documents, saying relevant authorities will mark buildings without approval for demolition at the expiration of the amnesty period.

The governor who stated this yesterday during the presentation of the tools at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, deployed tools, comprising ICT devices to the Physical Planning and Automation Department and Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC), in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for automation of all physical planning activities in Lagos State, marking a new era of innovation and efficiency.

 Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, said the tools will simplify the process of building plans and enhance the ease of doing business in Lagos.  

 He said, “Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in his bid to deliver quality services to the people of Lagos State decided that from the comfort of their homes, they should be able to visit LASPIC online and get certified true copy of approvals that are missing and apply for a building permit online. In Lagos, we have so many buildings without approvals. Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC) and the Physical Planning and Automation Department have been able to document all those within Lagos State who have approvals.

 “We have up to five million property in Lagos but we have less than 500,000 property in the land registry. So, we have less than 10 percent in the land registry. It is only when you have land documentation that you can apply for building approval. That showed that the total number of people who don’t have building approval in Lagos is about 90 percent.  

“The commissioner for physical planning and urban development has said that we are going to give amnesty. So, with amnesty, then comes documentation. So, if we say we are going to give you amnesty because you don’t have building approvals, then the best thing is to take advantage of the amnesty that has been announced.” 

 In his address, the commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said the automation system is to make things easier and therefore urged the personnel in charge not to compromise for the system to be a huge success.   

He said, “We want to encourage people from the comfort of their homes to interface with the ministry electronically. They don’t necessarily have to be physically here before they get things done. In the comfort of their homes, they can apply and get approval.’’