By GRACE ALEGBA

The Lagos State Government has alerted the public on activities of shylock developers displaying fake approvals on project boards.

The state government also advised the public on how to guard against purchase of such properties.

This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by the General Manager, Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Mr Kehinde Osinaike, signed by Mrs Abimbola Emdin-Umeh, the Director, Public Affairs.

Emdin-Umeh said the general manager uncovered the trend while leading a three-day intensive enforcement programme on non-conforming structures at Banana Island, Lekki, Eti-Osa, Ikoyi and other parts of the state.

Osinaike condemned the common practice of displaying fake Physical Planning Permit Numbers on project boards by some property owners and developers across the state.

The general manager added that they did this in order to divert attention of the authority’s enforcement team from checking the conformity of such structures to Planning Permit Laws.

He described the act as criminal, while warning developers presenting fake planning permits on Development Control Boards (DCBs) to desist as anyone caught in the act would be arrested and prosecuted.

He urged prospective property buyers to verify the status of properties they intend to purchase by consulting the authority.

The general manager said the intensive enforcement exercise became necessary to checkmate illegal activities of developers contravening various Physical Planning Permit Laws.

He listed infractions to include conversion of structures from the use for which planning permit was granted and non-adherence to the stipulations in planning permit granted, among others.

“Despite LASPPPA’s efforts at sentisising and creating awareness for Lagosians and relevant stakeholders to obtain Physical Planning Permit from the Authority’s District Offices and the Head Office, some still go through the back door, patronising touts, who hand them fake Physical Planning permits,” he said.

On his part, the Head, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit of LASPPPA, Mr Iyiola Olarinde, lamented the challenge of officials being denied access to some estates to carry out their statutory duties.

Olarinde reiterated the constant appeal of LASPPPA to Lagos residents to visit closest district offices or the Head Office at Oba Akinjobi Way, GRA Ikeja, to obtain Planning Permits before embarking on building projects.

The statement also noted that the enforcement team met stiff resistance and were prevented from serving notices at Periwinkle Lifestyle Estate, along Freedom Way, Ikate Lekki. (NAN)

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