Information has emerged that the owner of the collapsed Gerard Terraces, Femi Osibona, ignored a directive by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LAPPPA, to insure the structure.
This was revealed by an investigation conducted by Nigeria’s national newspaper, Vanguard.
The paper reported that the development permit issued to the developer with no-DCB/DO/2442IV and dated 09/04/2019, mandated him to insure the construction risks of the building.
Part G of the permit reads: “A developer of any building above two floors shall insure his/her liability in respect of construction risks and submit a Certified True Copy, CTC, of such insurance policy certification with his/her development permit to Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA.”
Similarly, Part E said: “Non-compliance with the approved planning permit as designed will void the permit, and the development will be regarded as illegal.”
However, from all indications, these terms were not complied with.
Casualties from the tragedy are currently put at 44, including the owner of the structure, Mr. Osibona, his friends and workers.
Fifteen people survived the tragedy with over 49 persons still searching for their missing loved ones in the incident.
The Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Sunday Thomas, called for the implementation of compulsory insurance for public and high-rise buildings under construction.
Thomas said: “Owners of public buildings must desist from the act of constructing high-rise buildings without the regulatory building insurance coverage. Building without building insurance coverage means violation of the insurance law.”
Meanwhile, a visibly frustrated woman, identified as Fatimo, told Vanguard that her brother, Fatai, who worked at the site, was yet to be found dead or alive.
Fatimo said: “We were not aware anything of such happened in Lagos, until last Thursday evening when one Gbenga, called one of our uncles on the phone to inform that my brother, Fatai, was working in a building that collapsed in Lagos. He did not tell us if he was dead or alive. He only gave my uncle the description of the place.
“My uncle could not come because he has a partial stroke. I got to this place last Friday and saw other people like me, who came to see if their loved ones would be brought out dead or alive. I met one of the officials who directed me to the mortuary.
“But Fatai’s corpse was not among them. As I speak with you (yesterday) I have not seen him, either dead or alive. I will be here until everything is cleared.”
