As building collapses continue to damage the nation’s built environment, the Lagos State Testing and Materials Laboratory (LSMTL) has stressed the urgent need for collaborative efforts to curb the menace.
In her address at the stakeholders forum with market traders and Building artisans across Ojo and Badagry communities on Thursday, the General Manager of Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency, Engineer Olayinka Abdul, said the theme of the collaboration is “fostering collaboration in averting building disasters across Lagos Communities “ underscores the epochal role of the gathering.
She emphasised that the gathering recognised the importance of supporting collaboration among all relevant stakeholders, including market traders and artisans, in combating the challenges posed by building disasters.
Abdul pointed out that, ‘’Our city, Lagos State, is a dynamic bustling Hub of Commerce. Hence, it is the collective responsibility of every one of us—Traders, Artisans, Regulatory Agencies, and Voluntary Organizations—to ensure that our buildings, markets, and workspaces are well constructed and maintained to the highest safety standards.
“Building disasters, as we know, can be devastating—not just in terms of physical loss, but in emotional and psychological trauma as well. They disrupt lives, take lives, and can trigger aggravated, lasting impacts on communities.
“By coming together and sharing our expertise, experiences, and resources, we can pave the way for a safer Lagos without mishaps.
“At this juncture, I want to recount the expanding effects which building collapse has triggered in recent years, one that has grossly reflected the consequences of neglecting building safety—induced collapsed structures that have claimed lives and properties, especially in areas where rapid urbanisation outpaces adequate safety measures.’’
Earlier, the President General of Slaba International Market Amalgamated Traders’ Association, Chief (Dr) Amajuoyi Camilus Nnamdi, promised to have a symbiotic liaison with LSMTL to ensure the fulfilment of its mandate on all construction projects in the market.
