The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL) says it is cracking down on fake materials testing companies with stricter penalties and a new electronic system.

The General Manager of LSMTL, Mrs Olayinka Abdul, made this known in a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs Unit, Mrs Salehu-Badejo Abimbola, on Saturday in Lagos.

According to Abdul, the purpose is to protect public safety in buildings in Lagos State.

Abdul warned consultants breaking the rules, saying that LSMTL would not hesitate to take any actions to protect Lagos residents.

She said: “There is an underway overhauling on processes of engagements and service delivery towards conducting materials test across Lagos State.

“Hence, all residents are being implored to adhere to this new order.

“Technically, at the moment in this agency, our house is leaking, as issues of discrepancies take their tolls on our image in satisfying our existing customers.

“However, this new order of operations will adequately curb every form of mismanagement, putting absolute keenness in making sure there is transparency and absolute customer satisfaction.”

She also said that the agency would publish a list of approved consultants on its official website in a bid to improve services and curb cheating.

Abdul said that the agency would use a new electronic tracking system and assign specific areas to consultants to make it harder for fake companies to operate.

She advised people living near rivers in Lagos State to be careful about using soil there for construction.

She said that the salt in such soil could damage steel and make buildings unsafe.