Ogun: Daniel’s Plaza an Illegal Structure, Contravenes Our Laws

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Government, yesterday, said DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu Ode, said to belong to the wife of a former governor of the state, Mrs Olufunke Daniel, was an illegal structure without an approved plan.

The structure, the state government added, also contravened its physical planning laws.
DATKEM Plaza was early yesterday, allegedly vandalised by suspected hoodlums, but the act, according to an aide of Daniel, was carried out by thugs sponsored by the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun.

The government, in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Olayiwola Abiodun, said the structure violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.

He said several efforts made by the state government to halt further development on site were ignored by the developers, adding that, government officials requested the structural engineer in charge of the building to avail the state of the structural equilibrium of the building, a request reportedly ignored.
The statement recalled the various incidences of building disasters across the country, adding that the Ogun State Government would not fold its arm and allow any such occurrence.

It noted that many disasters such as fire outbreaks at Ikorodu, led to the loss of precious lives, adding that, what the government did in partially pulling down the defective building was to be proactive.

The government challenged the owners of the structure to produce evidence of government’s approval in their possession.
It said for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors. The provision of the law is for 45 to 50 per cent of available land for construction as a buildable area.

The permanent secretary added that the building lacked stage certification, which was usually issued at every stage of construction, but that the owners were served the necessary notices, including abatement, contravention, stop work and demolition between May and October 2022, which were ignored.