By Lanre Adesanya
Some residents of Lekki Garden, Lekki area of Lagos State on Monday staged a protest to the State House of Assembly alleging that the state government has locked down over 6,000 houses in the Garden.
The residents who were at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium of the Lagos State House of Assembly lamented they were so shock, when officials of the state government allegedly shut down the main entry into the Garden.
A five-storey building under construction by Lekki Gardens had recently collapsed, claiming not less than 34 lives.
The State Government had told the occupiers of all buildings erected by Messrs Lekki Worldwide Estate, the owners of Lekki Gardens, to vacate the properties ahead of government investigations.
After the incident, the commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Wasiu Anifowose had ordered the occupiers of the buildings to vacate, saying that the state government would conduct integrity tests on the structures.
Anifowose said, “In the best interest of the occupiers of the other structures, their lives are very important to us as a government and we are appealing to them to vacate the building immediately until investigations are carried out,” the commissioner said.
He explained that the management of Lekki Gardens went behind regulators to add two additional floors after constructing and roofing an approved three storey building.
“The gentleman behind Lekki Gardens got approval for ground, first, second and third floors, but after doing the roofing, he removed it and added additional two floors which caused the building to collapse,” Anifowose said during an inspection of the collapsed building.
While speaking to journalists, one of leaders of the protesters, Chief Olatokunbo Thomas stated that the action of the state government was condemnable as residents have been subjected to hardships.
According to him, “the state government has locked us out because of the collapse of just one building in the estate. We have been thrown out because of the action of one person. We have about 6,000 houses with over 30 estates already thrown into the streets . The hardship is too much.
“If they doubt the standard of the buildings, they should come for integrity test and if there is need to make amendments, then we make them,” Thomas said.
He added that residents now use the pedestrian routes to gain entrance, saying “we have to sneak into our houses, they have locked down the estates.”
In his reaction, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa of the House noted that the responsibility of government is to protect lives and property, saying “I can assure you that the Governor will not do something that will afflict pains on the people.”
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Obasa however, stated that the House is in the dark about the details of the their allegation, adding that as an institution the indepth analysis of what actually occurred would have to be provided.
“As we speak, we are in the dark as to what you are saying. We urge you to submit your petition on what actually took place. We can call the executive to order if they go beyond their limit,” the speaker said.
Speaking on the matter during plenary, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa ordered the House Committee on Physical and Urban Planning of the House to wade into the matter and ensure that the interest of the residents of the estates were protested.
He said that it was important for the estates to be re-opened as closing it was making life difficult for the residents of the estate.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun had informed the House of the protest on Thursday during plenary, as he said that the Speaker took it upon himself to handle the matter with immediate effect.
Another lawmaker, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu said that the Speaker rose to the occasion by calling the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to open the estate for the residents.
Other lawmakers, who spoke on the issue supported the opening of the estate, but warned that standard must be ensured about buildings in the state to avoid further building collapse in the state.