The Lagos State Government is investigating alleged corrupt practices by some operatives of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority ( LASPPPA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency ( LASBCA).
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr.Tayo Bamgbose-Martins said in Alausa on Friday that the move became imperative sequel to the allegation of malfeasance against LASPPPA/ LASBCA staff in an investigative media report.
He said that Government was not oblivious of the fact that while majority of staff act to uphold professionalism and good ethics, there might be a few others who compromise their position and collude with others to denigrate the system, adding that observers would do well to come up with names of perpetrators as against making them anonymous to aid investigation.
He said that the two Agencies, which had been doing their best to sanitise the Lagos built environment, had been mandated to fish out the bad eggs within their fold, who had been complicit in illegal building construction, saying that such erring officers would be made to face punitive actions in line with the public service rule.
Bamgbose-Martins urged members of the public to embrace the ethos of building right and shun the temptation of making recourse to underhand practices as Physical Planning regulations remained the hope of the Lagos Megacity, faced with strong population and landuse pressures.
Whilst not ruling out the possibility of impersonation in the matter, he urged the public to be weary of touts who sometimes parade themselves as officers, adding that Government had made it mandatory for all members of staff to conspicuously wear their identity cards for easy identification.
Recalling some of the many steps taken by the State Government to ease Planning Permit Approval process and enhance monitoring of the built environment, he said that Government had increased the number of LASPPPA/LASBCA District offices, devolve approval powers to the district level and embarked on the adoption of e-planning Permit and automation of processes of the Ministry and its Agencies to eradicate delays and remove undue interference in the approval process.
He added that the Administration of Mr.Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the State, in line with its T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, had prioritised citizens participation through massive sensitisation and the establishment of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Building Control Appeals Committee
to hear petitions from members of the public on physical planning and building control infractions.
Other measures are the promotion of whistle blowing policy, which allows Lagosians to report observed misdemeanors through various platforms including the State toll-free lines, 112 and 767 as well as the Lagos MPP&UD moblie App on Goggle Play and Apple Store.
The Physical Planning Commissioner assured Lagosians of the unwavering commitment of the Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu Administration to livable, organised and sustainable built environment through seamless and effective regulatory procedures as demanded by the smart city drive of the Administration.