The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to the eradication of building collapse, just as it disclosed plans to establish a system that will prevent building distress through quality assurance methods.
The General Manager, Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL), Engr. Olufunsho Elulade, stated this during an interview with correspondents of some selected media organisations at the Agency’s Headquarters in Ojodu, Berger.
Speaking on the activities of the Agency, he emphasised the need for continuous public enlightenment of stakeholders and residents on the importance of testing all materials used for building construction as part of concerted efforts to rid Lagos of the menace of building collapse.
Engr. Elulade underscored the importance of organising a Stakeholders’ Conference once or twice a year for manufacturers of building materials, block moulders, private developers and construction agents in the built industry in order to profer solutions to the challenges and prevent the occurrence of building collapse in the State.
According to him, the Agency is doing all within its power to ensure the establishment of fully-equipped independent laboratories in the 20 Local Government Areas of the State because some people are finding it difficult to bring samples of their building materials to the Agency Headquarters in Ojodu for proper testing.
He said the presence of its local offices and independent laboratories is therefore needed in all nooks and crannies of the State, stressing that the establishment of a new laboratory in Okokomaiko by the Agency is about 85% completed and will commence full operations by the beginning of the second quarter of the year.
Elulade said: “On completion, the Okokomaiko Laboratory will serve all the people in Badagry, Ijaniki, Okokomaiko, LASU, Festac, Iyana Iba, Alaba, Trade Fair and Ojo. It will also save the residents the stress of having to travel a far distance down to Ojodu Berger to test their building materials”.
The General Manager also revealed that the Agency is collaborating with the Federal Government Contractor handling the rehabilitation works on the Eko, Ijora and Marine Bridges, adding that the aim is to carry out integrity tests on the three bridges in order to determine their structural stability.
While explaining that the fire that gutted the facilities at various times might have weakened their components, Elulade stated that the result of tests done on samples taken from the bridges will form the basis of recommendations for inclusion in the contractor’s rehabilitation work.
