Lagos vows clampdown on fake physical planning permits

Forum 10 months ago

Lagos vows clampdown on fake physical planning permits

The General Manager of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, Kehinde Osinaike, has strongly condemned the practice of displaying fake Physical Planning Permit numbers on construction sites by some property owners and developers in the state.

Osinaike described the practice, which is allegedly aimed at diverting the agency’s enforcement team from checking the conformity of such structures to Planning Permit Laws, as criminal and dangerous.

The GM stated this during a three-day enforcement exercise by the agency on non-conforming structures at Banana Island, Lekki, Eti-Osa, Ikoyi and other parts of the state.

According to a press release, Osinaike revealed that the exercise became expedient as a result of illegal activities of some developers.

He lamented that, despite LASPPPA’s efforts at sensitising and creating awareness for Lagosians and relevant stakeholders on the need to obtain physical planning permit from the agency’s district offices and the Head Office, some still go through the back door, patronising touts, who hand them fake physical planning permits.

He warned developers presenting fake planning permits on DCB Boards to desist as anyone caught in the act will be arrested and prosecuted.

The Head, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit of LASPPPA, Iyiola Olarinde, on his part, decried the acts of denying officials of the agency access to some estates, and particularly condemned the stiff resistance encountered by LASPPPA officials recently at Periwinkle Lifestyle Estate, along Freedom Way, Ikate Lekki when its officials tried to gain entrance to the estates to serve notices.