The Lagos State Government has launched a discount and amnesty initiative to encourage property owners to obtain the requisite permits and follow building standards.
According to reports, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, announced this at a press event in Lagos on Wednesday to commemorate the first year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.
He stated that the purpose of these activities was to protect public safety and promote a sustainable urban environment by encouraging conformity to building codes.
In a recent encounter with journalists, the commissioner stated that 80 percent of construction in Lagos‘ Ibeju Lekki district lacked approval.
He said, “Just last week, Thursday and Friday, myself and the team were on the Ibeju Lekki and Epe axes, and you would agree with me that anybody passing through that corridor would see a lot of estates marked. We went there, and I can tell you that from what we saw, over 80 percent of them do not have approval.”
On Wednesday, he stated that federal personnel will receive a 40% discount on planning permits as an incentive to follow proper procedures for their houses.
He said, “In a bid to ensure that the state maintains its high developmental standard, the Lagos State Government has announced a 40 percent rebate on planning permit payments to Lagosians.
“This is to encourage property owners in the state to do the right thing by ensuring their properties pass all official procedures.”
According to Olumide, property owners with unpermitted buildings have a 90-day amnesty period during which they can apply for permits without penalty.
This, he explained, was intended to address existing noncompliance and foster a more consistent building environment.
He said, “The amnesty initiative would allow owners and developers of existing buildings to obtain planning permits without the payment of statutory penal fees within the amnesty window from May 2 to July 30, 2024, with a five percent discount applicable to payments completed within 10 working days of the bill’s issuance.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
