Reduce number of agencies issuing building permits, Fashola tells Sanwo-Olu

Former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has asked the Lagos State government to reduce the number of agencies giving approval for buildings, as well as the administrative cost for building approval.

He stated this on Tuesday at the Lagos Physical Planning Summit 2024 held at Victoria Island, with the theme: “Rethinking Lagos: A New Vision for Regional and Integrated Mega City.”

Fashola, a former governor of Lagos, called on town planners and the government to look at how the state’s resources, including land and infrastructure, would be put to better use to ensure prosperity.

Fashola commended the government for putting infrastructure in place but said there was a need to reduce the number of agencies for permits while creating spaces for talent support facilities to tackle youth unemployment.

Similarly, the Lagos State government has unveiled a permit identification tag for physical planning permits and extended the physical planning permit amnesty period to December 31.

The amnesty for unapproved buildings to get approval from the state government was initially set to end in October, with a 50 per cent rebate.

In his address at the summit, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the state government would embark on the construction of an overpass in Ikotun and put other infrastructure in place to build resilience and secure the megacity status of the state.

Also, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, said the summit aimed to better position the state for investment, as proposed in the Operative Development Plans.

He added that the state government had been very responsive to the need for an orderly, livable, and sustainable environment, demonstrated through the dogged implementation of the THEMES Plus agenda.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said the summit was designed to shape a glorious future for Lagos, which boasts soaring industries and infrastructure that would galvanize the state’s potential into a vibrant home.