Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday cautioned corrupt and unethical government officials saying that he will not hesitate to remove them if found wanting.
At the Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibition with the theme Lagos: 21st Century Real Estate Investment Hub, organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), the governor stated that some government officers and developers have cultivated the habit of cutting corners.
“The lesson we are learning is not lost on us. But I dare say that a month before the Ikoyi building collapse incident we launched a Certificate of Completion and Certificate of Fitness of habitation of buildings in the state.
“We had done that with Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) meaning that anybody that had done proper development to a certain level, you need to get a certificate of completion and a certificate of fit of habitation from them.
“So these are some of the things that from a regulatory point of view that indeed all the boxes had been ticked. We know for the size of this city there will be people that will like to cut corners, there will be officers that will also bring us down and have reduced our name, we know.
“We are not going to stand here and say everybody that works for us is holy but we are dealing with them. These are major issues that all of us need to work together and deal with.
‘’I am using this opportunity to express my disappointment about some government officials that want to sabotage that effort. I will not be only ruthless, I will look for you and ensure you have no place in my government. This is an agency that must work for everyone. It is a project whose time has come.’’
Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Special Advisor to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, said real estate remains one of the strongest and most powerful investments across the globe, adding that it not only helps create job opportunities but also contributes greatly to a country’s economic growth.
“As viable as this sector is economically, having the right information and understanding the operational environment by investors or investees is very key and this can be achieved through coaching and professional conferences like this.
“There is a need for us all to know the government’s policies put in place and how the knowledge of all these policies can assist us in making informed decisions in respect of our investments.
“As a government, we have realized this fact and as such, have been making business-friendly policies that can assist would-be investors, investees operate in a conducive business environment.
“We all know the havoc and the damages caused by the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic which brought drastic changes to the financial sector of the world, despite this, the real estate sector remained the preferred investment globally in spite of this threat.”
Alleluia is the Assistant Editor and Content Writer at LagosPost.ng. She is a prolific writer and editor, she has written features and news stories on Lifestyle, Sports, Business, Politics and B2B marketing. She is also an event coordinator, host and social media content creator.
