By Yinka Kolawole
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has signed into law a bill that will ensure that construction of buildings of more than two floors in the state are henceforth backed up by all contractors general risk certificate from a registered insurance company.

Assenting to the bill tagged, ‘A law to provide for the administration of physical planning urban development , urban regeneration and building control in Lagos State and for connected purposes’, recently in Lagos, Fashola said that the new law integrates four previously existing different laws relating to physical planning and development in the state, between 1971 and 2003, into one.

The bill also makes it compulsory for public and commercial buildings to take into consideration the safety and comfort of the physically challenged and build in facilities that will make it easier for them to move around by having ramps to enable them  use their wheel chairs.

He vowed that the state, through the Lagos Building Control Agency, will henceforth enforce building regulations, inspect buildings with the aim of issuing certificate of fitness for habitation if and when a building meets government approval standards or otherwise to check incessant collapse of building in the state, adding that the law will seek to guide developers in choice of structures, colour of roof and materials to make for predictable planning and enhanced environment..

The new legislation empowers the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development with the issuance of planning permits by relevant agencies, and also directs relevant to seal up any premises for alleged contravention of physical planning, urban development, urban regeneration or building control laws and regulations for the purpose of enforcement and compliance. It also makes it mandatory for a technical board made up of the relevant stakeholders in the construction industry to report directly to the commissioner on any issue.

He said that with the ongoing construction of 200 court rooms in the state, magistrate courts are being empowered to speedily dispense with cases relating with defaulters of the new law.