By Maduka Nweke
The Lagos state government’s decision to introduce a new building code has met with widespread criticism among residents, with many questioning its timing.
Set for unveiling next year, the proposed code aims to modernise construction practices and improve safety standards. However, in random interviews conducted by Daily Sun, most respondents expressed discontent, citing economic struggles as a major concern.
Many Lagosians argue that the initiative, while potentially beneficial in the long run, is ill-timed as the prevailing economic conditions have already placed immense financial pressure on citizens.
“It feels like an additional burden. “With the cost of living skyrocketing, this isn’t the right time for such reforms”, a frustrated respondent stated.
The government, on the other hand, views the new building code as a critical step toward sustainable urban development and disaster prevention, particularly in a city prone to infrastructural challenges. Nevertheless, the concerns raised by residents highlight the delicate balance policymakers must strike between progress and public sentiment.
Another respondent, Mr. Andrew Adeniran, a plumber said that building code for builders is good but that operators will capitalise on the provisions to exploit the public.
“If you intend to bring a change in the system, you first of all float it and educate the public. By that, people will be aware of what it involves and ready to flow with it. Real estate is not properly regulated and that is why all of a sudden, one group or the other will bring one law or the other to checkmate the excesses of bad eggs.
Mrs. Uzoamaka Onuoha, in her remarks, stated that as long as the new code aligns seamlessly with federal regulations, it should pose no issues.
“But if the code is coming to increase the hardship, create nooks for fraudsters to manipulate the public, then I will not support it.
“Government should always consider the interest of the public in any rule they want to introduce. Otherwise, it will amount to anti-public. Once it is for the interest of the people, everyone will support it. I support anything that will help to regulate the sector“, she said.
The Lagos State Government recently revealed plans to introduce a new Building Code next year, aimed at meeting the high-performance standards necessary for establishing Lagos as a sustainable and Smart City. The announcement was made at the Lagos State Executive Council Retreat on the Domestication of the Lagos Building Code, hosted by the Office of the Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development. The event, held recently at Ikeja GRA, highlighted the government’s commitment to modernising urban infrastructure in line with global standards.
Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stressed the importance of greater collaboration among ministries and agencies within the built sector to ensure the state’s development aligns with global best practices. He explained that the primary goal of the Lagos Building Code is to establish building regulations that will enhance the city’s resilience and sustainability.
He said: “We (Lagos state government) are the first to domesticate the National Building Code, which is the creation of the Federal Government. We are not doing anything outside the vision at the sovereign and sub-sovereign levels.
“But what is unique about our own is the fact that all the cabinet members see the need to have an input because it would be an outcome that would affect lives and different ministries and agencies. So, there is a need for everybody to have a say and at the end of the day, collectively we will resolve to have a way.
“What we are trying to do is for Lagos State to do what is obtainable internationally: have a building regulation in which we have a standard of construction in design, manner of land use occupancy and use of building materials, which we believe would eventually improve and help with health, safety, and occupancy issues. It is all about building sustainably, making Lagos a lot more resilient and able to absorb shock in the future and able to stand in the comity of developed cities and city-states as we see in various parts of the world”, he said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, in his remarks stated that the Lagos Building Code is to complement the existing regulatory framework and provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges of land use, physical development, and urban planning.
Babatunde said the Lagos Building Code will regulate building control, planning permission and address the issues of setback; take care of the safety and sustainability of the environment; and also prevent the collapse of buildings. “We have been working on the domestication of the National Building Code, and by next year, we are going to have our own brand-new Lagos Building Code. We have worked with professional bodies and people from academia, market women, and the public in general, and through a participatory approach, we are able to come out with a document that is acceptable to everyone and useful to the entire state,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, described the Lagos State Building Code initiative by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration as the next step to Green Lagos that will enable the state to plan buildings properly and ensure durable infrastructure in the state. During the retreat, members of the Lagos State Executive Council brainstormed and advocated aggressive sensitization for residents of the State on the Lagos Building Code before implementation.