Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory, LSMTL on Tuesday commenced the integrity assessment of government-owned buildings in the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, saying that the exercise was in compliance with provisions of the State’s extant building which requires Government adherence to necessary building specifications, just like private property owners.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise at the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye disclosed that the first phase of the non-destructive test would be carried out on 49 government-owned structures within the seat of power at Alausa and Old Secretariat, Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja respectively.

The Commissioner emphasised the need to build according to specifications and adhere to approved building plans which, according to him, was cheaper than the risk of buildings being pulled down for falling below habitation standard.

He said that upon completion of the necessary test on the buildings, officials of the agency would cascade the exercise down to the entire metropolis to ascertain the liveability or otherwise of structures across the State.

Ogunleye added that relevant laws of the State government on material testing subsist for existing buildings built decades ago as well as the newly constructed ones.

“After this exercise, the officials of the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory, LSMTL and Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABCA would be going out for certification of buildings and necessary enforcement”, the Commissioner stated.

He explained that the overall intention of the State Government is to further guarantee the safety of lives and property of every resident of the State, stressing that government will continue to take proactive steps that would help nip in the bud incidents of avoidable loss of lives instead of reacting to building collapse.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy averred that the ongoing integrity test being carried out on government structures shows that if the government could subject its building to assessment by its agency, no individual has any reason to resist such test.

“If it happens here, it means that it can happen anywhere and nobody, be it corporate or individual must shy away from this responsibility”, he retorted.

He added that the exercise complements the periodic maintenance works already instituted by the State Government through its facility management system where government officers carry out day-to-day maintenance on its facilities.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Boladele Dapo-Thomas disclosed that the State Government wants to sustain the present status quo of zero building collapse.

The General Manager of LSMTL, Engr. Olalekan Ajani had earlier underscored the need for periodic maintenance of buildings, noting that buildings, just like human beings, need to undergo periodic diagnosis and necessary face-lift.

He explained that the non-destructive test was meant to ascertain the strategy needed for maintenance of the buildings to ensure the structures continue to serve the intended purpose.