The Lagos State Government has said it is determined to deliver homes that are safe and fit for habitation to its residents.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr. Kamar Olowoshago reiterated this when he led the Management team to inspect the Joint Venture Housing Schemes at Abraham Adesanya Estate and others at Lekki and Ajah axis of the State, expressing concerns about non-compliance of Joint Venture partners with terms of the agreement including contract life span, the scope of work and structural and safety guidelines.
Olowoshago said, “Sadly, many partners are elongating the construction period thereby worsening the housing deficit in the State. This is disappointing as the State Government is desirous of releasing these homes to the people within the shortest possible period”.
He noted that some partners are not following standard safety guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Housing while others went beyond their scope in changing designs or increasing the number of homes without recourse to the Ministry.
While warning that all issues bordering on non-compliance, infractions and breach of terms of the agreement will have grave consequences for the erring partners, Olowoshago decried the various contraventions by residents at the Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, particularly in the alteration of homes without due approval from the Ministry of Housing.
According to him, this development has compromised the safety standard of the homes and altered the original prototypes of the Estate, stressing that the state government will not overlook pertinent issues such as the safety of buildings and town planning requirements geared towards making Lagos State a model mega city and 21st Century Economy.
He promised that all the anomalies by both partners and residents will be analysed and resolved in the best way possible, adding that all stakeholders should do their best to justify the huge confidence reposed in them by the State Government and support its various initiatives in solving the accommodation challenges of the citizenry.
The Chairman of Abraham Adesanya Residents Association, Mrs. Bolanle Bodede expressed happiness at the commitment of the State Government to the well-being of residents but appealed for promptness in addressing issues of contraventions noticed at the estate.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Housing, Esv. Ayodeji Amodu and the Management team of the Ministry among others.
