Lagos State government has appealed to the people living in distressed buildings to immediately vacate such structures before they crumble on them.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde, who made the appeal in an interview with our correspondent yesterday, said the call was necessary because of the loss of lives to collapsed buildings in the state.
Ayinde said the government would soon begin massive campaign against living in weak structures to discourage those bent on residing in distressed buildings.
The commissioner said the time had come for the residents of Lagos, particularly occupants of identified weak structures, to quit buildings in their own interest.
Ayinde regretted that some people no longer take necessary steps to protect themselves.
He said: "Some of the responsibilities such as care and safety precaution which we are supposed to discharge as people, have been left to God.
"My message to those still living in identified distressed buildings is that their lives are invaluable. There is no amount of money that can purchase a human life. They should see themselves as precious and rare; something rare can't be found anywhere else.
"So, they should do all within their power to protect their precious lives and part of the protection is to avoid living in dangerous structures that are likely to collapse.
"If such building eventually collapses or brought down, they have the opportunity of re-building in a more professional way instead of waiting for it to collapse on occupants."
The commissioner urged property owners to engage the services of certified experts while building their structures.
He said: "Construction is a science; there are people who studied it. There are experts who are specialised in standard construction. According to the Standard Organisation Nigeria, SON, cement and other materials we're using no longer have the same strength they used to have."
National Mirror