By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, has commenced evacuation of occupants of eight marked distressed structures in Oyingbo and Lagos Island, areas of the state as part of efforts to prevent building collapse with attendant loss of lives and properties.
The affected buildings are: units of three and four flats in Oke-Arin and Doherty Streets of Lagos Island and another four floors of one unit residential building in Idi-Araba areas of the state, respectively.
The exercise, according to the General Manager, LASCA , Arc. Gbolahan Oki, was part of the routine mandates of the agency to bring to lowest minimum the incidence of building collapse and avoidable death of residents.
Speaking on the initial efforts made to ensure that the occupants of the affected buildings vacated the distressed structures, Arc. Oki, who was represented at the evacuation exercise by the Director of Enforcement, LASBCA, Mr. Olusoji Olaopa, explained that the evacuation serves as the final move by the agency before final demolition.
He said that the distressed buildings were identified based on inspection and monitoring exercise carried out by relevant sepervising directors from the relevant places.
Oki stated that evacuation and partial demolition carried out by the agency has become necessary in order to compel the occupants of the distressed buildings to relocate to a safer accommodation.
One of the residents of the affected buildings in Oke-Arin area of the state, Mr. Rabiu Jamiu, affirmed that the officials of LASBCA had earlier served evacuation notice to the occupants of the building, adding that the landlords were also advised to carry out integrity test on the buildings in order to ascertain their structural.
Jamiu, who claimed to have lived in the affected building for about 13 years, said that the move by the government was to ensure safety of residents despite not having anywhere to move to with his family.
“It is painful but because I don’t have where to keep my belongings for now or where to stay with my family members. My wife is in the house packing out loads and our children have gone to school but life goes on because this move is also for our safety.”
Below are pictures of the marked houses:
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