Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) has advised property owners, especially distressed and dilapidated buildings in the State, to ensure that integrity and stability tests are conducted on their building to prevent sudden collapse of such buildings and unnecessary loss of lives and properties.
The Acting General Manager LSMTL, Eng. Rasheed Teslim Balogun, who stated this during a visit to the site of a partially collapsed building at Alli Close, Mile 12, Ketu, stated that the Agency will conduct a non-destructive test as well as study the structural elements of the building to examine and confirm the stability and the integrity on the remaining structure.
He however advised all builders in the state to work with the Agency by conducting necessary tests before embarking on construction and ensure that standard materials are used for construction in order to avoid the recurring building collapse in some parts of Lagos.
While imploring all builders in the state to abide with standard specification for the construction of any building, Engr. Balogun maintained that the ongoing integrity test on all buildings at the Lekki Gardens as directed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will be completed this week.
Meanwhile, the LSMTL has issued ‘stop-work’ order to some site contractors and engineers across the state until necessary certifications were done on the various materials used for their construction works.
Engr. Rasheed Balogun, who gave the order while inspecting some construction sites, had earlier requested for the result of soil test on the site from contractors handling the projects, and later gave the “stop work order” when the documents were not produced.
The Acting General Manager however appealed to all stakeholders in the built industry to do the needful by complying with all laws guiding construction processes especially the certification of building materials by the agency, reiterating that the current administration is ready to do all within its power to end the menace of building collapse in the State.
