The Lagos State Government yesterday identified 15 more distressed buildings in Ebute- Metta area, just as it said that about five buildings discovered to be in despicable condition would be brought down to avert another looming disaster in the area.
Speaking during an inspection and sensitisation campaign tagged: "Road Show" at the Ebutte-Metta, the Lagos Building and Control Agency (LASBCA) General Manager, Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun, said most residents are now calling the agency to report distressed buildings in their areas.
The identified distressed buildings are located on Borno Way, Herbert Macaulay and Kadara Streets and other suburbs.
She said the government would not relent in sensitisiing members of the public on the steps to take when they notice distressed buildings or a building under construction with substandard materials.
Mrs. Animashaun said: "We have identified about 15 to 20 buildings today apart from those identified before and I believe there are still many and we still continue.
We were in Lagos Island last month, but today we are in Mainland. But now the awareness level is increasing because we will still go to many markets now because markets also help us a lot.
"People are now calling us to report the state their homes. After going to those homes, we discovered that the homes are truly in bad shape."
The general manager, who led the agency officials to distribute pamphlets to residents, motorists and traders, called on residents to report any ongoing construction work without sign board indicating the nature the project.
She said: "If there is no sign board indicating construction work is ongoing, people should know that such contractor is doing illegal thing because construction work must have a signboard. If the signboard is missing, it means the contractor is hiding something."
Mrs. Animashaun, however, decried the level at which people defy quit notice after they have been ordered to leave distressed buildings.
She said: Despite the fact that the structures are in a precarious state, people are still living and selling in them.
"If such buildings collapse, both the sellers and the buyers will die. When we say a building is distressed, we don't want anybody around the area so as to avert danger.
This time around, when a distressed building is identified, we ask for integrity test to be carried out on such building. If the building fails integrity test, we ask the occupants to vacate such buildings. If the owner refuses, after a given period of time, such building will be demolished. We have a law guiding us."
National Mirror