The Lagos State Government has stated that it is looking into claims of corrupt practices by some employees of the Lagos State Building Control Agency and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority.
LASPPPA and LASBCA staff were accused of misbehavior in an investigative media report, according to a statement by the deputy director of public affairs, Mukaila Sanusi.
The commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, revealed this in Alausa on Friday.
The commissioner claimed that while most employees uphold professionalism and good ethics, there may be a small number who compromise their positions and collaborate with others to disparage the system.
He added that observers would be wise to identify the perpetrators by name rather than keeping them anonymous to aid in investigations.
He said, “The two agencies, which have been doing their best to sanitise the Lagos building environment, have been mandated to fish out the bad eggs within their fold who have been complicit in illegal building construction, such erring officers would be made to face punitive actions in line with the public service rule.”
Bamgbose-Martins urged the populace to adopt the philosophy of “building right” and resist the temptation to turn to shady tactics because physical planning regulations remained the Lagos megacity’s best hope when it came to dealing with severe population and land use challenges.
He cautioned the public to be wary of touts who occasionally pose as officers while leaving open the possibility of impersonation. He added that the government had made it mandatory for all employees to prominently display their identity cards for quick identification.
He recalled some of the numerous actions taken by the state government to streamline the approval processes for planning permits and improve building environment monitoring, stating that the government had increased the number of LASPPPA and LASBCA district offices, delegated approval authority to the district level, and started using e-planning permits and automating ministry and agency processes to end delays and remove unauthorized interference in the approval process.
He added, “The administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the state, in line with its T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of making Lagos a 21st century economy, has prioritised citizens participation through massive sensitisation and the establishment of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Building Control Appeals Committee to hear petitions from members of the public on physical planning and building control infractions.
“Other measures are the promotion of whistle blowing policy, which allows Lagosians to report observed misdemeanors through various platforms including the state toll-free lines, 112 and 767 as well as the Lagos MPP&UD mobile app on Goggle Play and Apple Store.”
The commissioner of physical planning reminded Lagosians of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s unwavering commitment to livable, organized, and sustainable construction environments.
