The Lagos State Government has lamented that many residents of the state do not seek approval before erecting their structures.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rotimi Ogunleye, disclosed this at the weekend at a stakeholders’ interactive session in Amuwo Odofin Local Government and Oriade Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
He said the government was more ever determined that people sought approval before erecting their structures, which was why government had waved registered title as condition for obtaining building approval.
Ogunleye said the law stipulated that before anyone could erect a structure, such a person must obtain development permit, but added that the government now accept family receipt as condition to erect structures across the state.
The commissioner stated that between March 1 and August 31, 2018, government would not charge any penalty for those who had erected their structures on their land without a building permit, as government purposely created that six months grace period for landowners to obtain their building permit.
He said approval had been made easy as anyone who went through the process would get his or her building approval within 28 days.
General Manager, Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, Funmi Osifuye said the government had continued to create functional communities through preparation of master plans and model city plans for LASPPPA to implement and achieve a sustainable and well planned environment.
She said that creating functional communities required strict adherence to the provisions of the Operative Development Plan for the area of jurisdiction.
According to her, for Amuwo Odofin and Oriade, the subsisting development plan was the Badagry master plan.
“The plan is a comprehensive one and has considered all factors necessary to make the communities making up Amuwo Odofin and Oriade functional and sustainable.
“As such, all the physical development proposals and ventures in these areas must necessarily tally with the provision of the Badagry master plans. The master plan has incorporated some upgrades, such as infrastructural improvement and increase in density of some major roads,” she stated.
Osifuye said the government was not oblivious of the various issues that might be militating against the application for grant of planning permits by intending developers, such as land title on federal and state acquisitions, illegal conversions, illegal development, among others.
She said creating functional communities was the responsibilities of all and that the state government would not renege in playing its own part in ensuring the comfort of Lagosians, urging the people to comply with the rules of engagement.