CITIZENS COMPASS –The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has set a July 30, 2024 deadline for the removal of illegal structures and setbacks in and around markets in Oshodi-Isolo local government area.
This was the outcome of the sensitisation meeting midwived by the executive chairman of the council, Otunba Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede between the LASBCA and the Markert men and women before the former (LASBCA) carries out the implementation of the plan removal of illegal structures and setbacks in Market areas in Lagos State.
Otunba Oloyede while giving the welcome address at McCarthy Lane in Oshodi market where the meeting was held, thanked the LASBCA GM, Mr Gbolahan Oki for the opportunity he afforded him to interact with the marketers before implementing the setbacks and illegal structures removal order of the Lagos State government.
He acknowledged the need for the marketers to create free access where users and buyers can easily access. He frowned at the uncoordinated activities within the market and said it won’t give way for responders to access in the event of fire accident or other disasters saying emergency operations might be hampered due to the way and manner people display their wares on the road.
He said; “I welcome the LASBCA GM and his team to our Local Government once again and thank him for giving us the opportunity to sensitise our marketers before the government carry out its order on removal of setbacks and illegal structures in markets. The GM of LASBCA is here today to sensitize our marketers and tell them the plan action of setbacks removal in markets.
They are here to enforce orderliness and building regulations and I implore us to listen to them and follow their directives.
As a government, we shall support every intervention of the state government at bringing sanity to our environment and create a healthy marketplace for all.”
LASBCA GM, Arch. Oki disclosed that he was in the market to plead with shop owners before enforcement. He regretted the fire incidents that happened at Mandilas building and Dosunmu on Lagos Island. He said the state fire service could not rescue the situation due inaccessibility to the roads leading to the market as people constructed different extensions and displayed their wares on the roads.
He regretted that the fire incident at Dosunmu destroyed 14 properties due to the inability of fire service to quickly access the location.
He stressed that the Governor. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed that no market should have an extension and there should be free entry and exit to every market in the state.
The LASBCA, the executive chairman and Iya-Loja General of Oshodi, Alhaja Ejide Shokopao after deliberation agreed that July 30th should be the deadline for implementing the order.
Otunba Oloyede and Arch. Oki however implored the shop owners to remove the extensions before the deadline in order to prevent the law taking its course.
Oki said; “we have listen to the appeal by the chairman and marketers for the extension of period of implementation of the exercise, we will however not go beyond the July 30 date to carry out action, we implore the marketers to do the right thing before the date.”
The team at the end of the sensitisation took a tour of the markets to inform the marketers of the decision taken and urged them to take action immediately.
