Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state has threatened to introduce an Executive Bill before the State House of Assembly that will bring criminal litigation against anyone, especially builders and other professionals in the building and construction industry found guilty of compromising standards in erecting super structures that threaten life and property.
Governor, who sympathised with families and friends of Ikoyi 43, warned that his administration would not hesitate to prosecute any official of the state government or contractor indicted for compromising safety and standards as he proposed a jail term for would-be culprits in the state.
The governor, while speaking on Monday at the Treasury Board Meeting on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2022 Budget held in Abeokuta, said, “I am coming up with a law that will send workers in the building industry to prison.
“Workers in these agencies responsible for building control are susceptible to taking bribes. I am going to ensure that there is something in our law that will send the head of the building control agency to prison if a building collapses in Ogun State under their watch.
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“The preoccupation of those responsible for building control should not just be revenue but to ensure due process and best practices in consonance with the State Building Control Regulations.
“If somebody was given approval to construct a storey building and you find out that the person has started decking for the second floor, you give him a stop order and penalty for exceeding the original approval. That is not enough; the penalty should be punitive. Yes, I want to see the money but, I am more concerned about the welfare, well-being and wellness of our people”, the governor warned.
