Officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) have commenced the demolition of the distressed Milton Montessori School located at Jide Street, off Odunsi Street, in the Bariga area of the State.
The Director of Enforcement, LASBCA, Mr. Kayode Olaopa, who led the exercise, explained that the dilapidated state of the building necessitated urgent action and the decision of the State Government to bring down the building to prevent the loss of lives and property.
He observed that despite the vacation notice earlier issued to occupants of the structure after observing its defective state, the management of the school continued housing school children, thereby exposing the pupils and staff to danger.
“What our officials have done here today is a proactive step to ensure the safety of lives and property. We don’t have to wait for disasters to happen but instead, we must prevent them from happening so that reported cases of building collapse can reduce drastically”, he explained.
Olaopa said that the building already had visible and physical signs of distress and must undergo a controlled demolition process to save lives and prevent avoidable calamity for children and the workers.
He, therefore, advised property owners and developers across the State to always show concern for the safety and wellbeing of others, as against only being keen on profit-making or remaining in business for selfish reasons.