By Isaac Olamikan
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has flayed the indiscriminate development of structures across the state by property developers without obtaining the necessary building plan permit, noting that more than 90 percent of structures erected in the state are without a building plan.
Obaseki said this when he received executive members of Nigeria Institute of Builders (NIOB), Edo State Chapter, who were on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City The Trumpet gathered.
Obaseki, represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha, decried the rot in the sector, reassuring that the government will continue to strengthen laws to ensure sanity in the built space. According to him, “Obtaining building plans is one aspect people take for granted when erecting their structures.
The association has a lot to do in building an eco-system, as about 75 percent of structures are not built by professionals. The decay in the system creates loopholes leading to building collapses across the country.
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“The failure in the system starts from town planning as town planning seems to have been neglected. This is affecting the building industry in the state. Today, visit a development area, you will discover that not up to 10 percent have a building plan. The Edo State Government is working on correcting this abnormality and will want you to partner with the state to achieve this move.”
He continued: “We have strengthened our Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development Ministry to help check this abnormality, ensuring sanity returns to the system by putting back all the standards required to avert building collapse.
“It’s good you are here now, and important you come on board and have your place to contribute to the success of the built sector in Edo State.”
Earlier, the Chairman of NIOB, Edo State Chapter, Ononfa Sunday, who hailed the governor’s reforms in the sector, said the visit is to inform the governor of its one-week event which was organised to commemorate this year’s Builders Day, with the theme, “Building with Integrity.”
