By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its authority to enforce physical planning laws within its jurisdiction, including at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo Local Government Area.
This comes after the state’s enforcement team, on Thursday, deployed cranes to demolish buildings alleged to have been illegally developed, leaving many traders lamenting their losses.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said on Friday that the state’s action was backed by the Supreme Court judgment of 2003 and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended), which empower the government to regulate and enforce planning laws.
Olumide stressed that the Trade Fair Complex’s location on federal land does not exempt developers from obtaining planning permits from the Lagos State Government or complying with its physical planning regulations.
“We have acted decisively to halt further development of unapproved and unsafe buildings in the Complex. A livable, organised, orderly, and sustainable built environment is crucial to achieving our T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda,” the commissioner said.
He noted that the Trade Fair Complex has a long history of non-compliance with building regulations and had ignored repeated warnings, including a November 2023 directive to regularise building constructions with the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
Olumide emphasized that the enforcement exercise was part of the government’s ongoing efforts to promote safety, livability, and well-being across Lagos State, not just within the Trade Fair Complex.
The post Trade Fair Demolition: Enforcement of planning laws within our jurisdiction — Lagos reaffirms appeared first on Vanguard News.
