Lagos, Nigeria – The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has voiced apprehension over the recent reinstatement of personnel from the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) who were previously terminated in connection with the collapse of a six-story building within Lekki Gardens Estate at Ikate Elegushi, Lekki in March 2016.
The accountability group is calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to swiftly investigate this reinstatement and take necessary actions.
In a letter addressed to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, titled “Unjustified Reinstatement of Dismissed LASBCA Staff Over Building Collapse: Immediate Reevaluation Required,” HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, expressed the organization’s surprise regarding the reinstatement of the dismissed LASBCA officials, which they assert transpired through a judicial process they consider inconclusive.
HEDA emphasized that the collapse of the six-story building in Lekki Gardens Estate in 2016 resulted in the tragic loss of 35 lives and injuries to 16 individuals. The Lagos State Government took immediate action at the time, sacking the General Manager of LASBCA, Adeigbe Olushola, the Head of Inspection and Quality Control, Adeoye Thomas Adeyemi, the Zonal District Officer, Dosunmu Gbadebo, and mandatorily retiring Akinde Adenike Sherifat, the Zonal Head of Eti-Osa West, from the Civil Service. The dismissal was based on allegations of negligence, deemed misconduct under the Public Service Rule 040401.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in a statement signed by the State Head of Service, Olabowale Ademola, asserted that these actions were necessary, and they were widely praised by the public as a measure to deter corruption and negligence within LASBCA.
HEDA finds it shocking that the terminated LASBCA officials have now been reinstated and have returned to their positions, even though the judicial process regarding their alleged misconduct remains unresolved.
While HEDA acknowledges the judiciary as an independent arm of the government with decisions that cannot be overturned by the executive, the organization insists that the government must ensure that those indicted are held accountable for their offenses and not allowed to perpetuate negligence and compromise public safety.
Highlighting more than 111 building collapses in Lagos State since the Lekki Gardens incident, resulting in 193 fatalities and 250 injuries, including children, HEDA underscores the severity of the issue. The organization urges the Lagos State Government to act without bias, preserve the rule of law, and clean the system.
As an alternative, HEDA suggests that if the reinstatement was ordered by the court, the Lagos State Government should, in the interest of equity and justice, redeploy these officials to other Ministries, Departments, or Agencies unrelated to building control in the state.
In an exclusive conversation with FINDWHOSABI , a high-ranking government official in Alausa, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that if proper procedures were followed, there should be no issue with reinstating previously dismissed employees. They also questioned whether there is any law prohibiting the rehiring of such individuals.
The situation continues to raise questions about accountability and justice in the aftermath of tragic events like the 2016 building collapse.