Lagos Warns Developers on High Safety Standards to Avert Building Collapse

Bennett Oghifo

The General Manager, Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL), Engr. Olayinka Abdul, has warned building developers in Lagos to adhere strictly to the highest standards of safety and quality to prevent the avoidable collapse of buildings in the state.

She stated this during a visit of a delegation from the Lagos State Parastatals Monitoring Office, led by its Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Aderemi Oluremi Ososanya, saying the warning was to effectively fulfill the mandate of her agency in protecting the integrity of structures.

She said: “The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency checks all construction materials; asphalt, sand, steel, concrete, bitumen, water and particularly granite which has various forms that can either aid in collapse, or enhance durability of structures.

“Granite has various tenacity ratios to complement the construction process, hence, the Lagos residents have to know this to avoid buildings’ collapse being induced by their incapabilities to withstand structural changes, along with other factors which LSMTL is going to rigorously sensitise about in averting disasters across Lagos State.”

She emphasised that the use of substandard steel, stanchions, brittled concrete mix and salinated soil, often prevail upon buildings to cause ripple effects to peoples’ lives from caved-in structures.

Engr. Abdul reiterated: “Our advocacy and operations will focus on shore settlements of Lagos State, because soil salinity from Makoko, Iyana – Oworoshoki, Lagos Island, Irewe and its environs, as well as Badagry and the connecting Islands are not ideal for buildings’ construction.

“But people dredge these soil contents from the water in minute forms using canoes at the detriment of residents’ safety because they come cheap. All these things seemed right, but upon laboratory scrutiny they definitely constitute to buildings’ collapse”.

“To rectify the defects being shaped by this anomaly, non-destructive tests will be conducted as calibrated per house process to standing buildings that have been erected for more than10 years, to indicate precision in performance. We do not want episodes of collapse in Lagos State anymore,” she added.

The General Manager said: “Education is paramount which truly affects many developers who may not fully understand the importance of using tested materials. We will initiate awareness campaigns, workshops, and seminars designed to educate stakeholders about the value of quality materials testing. These campaigns will highlight the long-term benefits – both economic and safety-related – of adhering to the set standards.”

Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary, Parastatals Monitoring Office, Mrs. Adetutu Oluremi Ososanya averred that ‘walk the talk’ move of her agency was targeted at grooming values in parastatals and agencies of government to mitigate effects shaped by execution of responsibilities for optimal delivery.

She implored for collaborations of LSMTL with other government agencies, in measuring up her standards as the bedrock of the built industry to ensure safety to structures.

Mrs. Ososanya stated: “Everyone should be involved in ensuring safety to buildings in the state, for every Nigerian wants to reside in Lagos State. Every day, development tends towards massive pace, hence, technology needs to be deployed by your agency to step-up its game in keeping proper order in place.

“I proffer buildings’ regeneration process with LASURA as obtained in better climes in order to check wide defects to buildings. Moreso, all residents should see and say those compromising signs even as they also avoid nonchalant attitude that could cause pain to lives.”