The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), did not obtain the necessary government approval before converting its guest house located in the church premises at Ikotun Egbe, Lagos, into a five-storey structure, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said.

Speaking yesterday when he visited the site of the collapsed building, Governor Fashola said investigations had showed that the building did not have approval plan. The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) had earlier hinted that the conversion was without its approval.

As at this morning, the death toll had hit 45, while 135 persons had been rescued, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The building, under construction, came down at 12:54 p.m. on Friday.

Fashola during his visit described the incident as very unfortunate, expressing sadness at the loss of life.

While commiserating with the General Overseer of the Church, Prophet Temitope Joshua, who came to meet him at the site of the collapsed structure, Governor Fashola, however, directed that the staff of the church should give way for the rescue workers to be able to carry out the job of evacuating the debris and rescuing possible victims still trapped under the collapsed building.

The governor, who was received at the site by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner Olutoyin Ayinde, told Prophet Joshua that the presence of the church members was hampering rescue operations.

“What you need to understand now is that this place is now an accident scene and so all your staff must leave this place. We need to take control of this place and let people who are trained to do this job to do so.

“We understand that this is an unfortunate incident, we understand their sense of sympathy and compassion. But let them allow those who are trained to do the job take over and do the job; that is their training and it won’t make sense if they are getting in each other’s way,” he said.

The governor further explained that after the emergency workers had finished their work, it would be easier for any staff of the church, whether an engineer or a medical personnel, whom the General Overseer wishes to be on the site with the emergency workers for the purpose of taking records, to join them.

“When we finish, if you have any person, whether an engineer or a medical person you wants to be on the site with them, working with them to know what they are taking there, then it is easier; they can report to you and then report to me. But we can’t continue rescue operations with your men hanging around here,” Governor Fashola told Prophet Joshua.

Also at the site to receive the governor were the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed and the General Manager of LABSCA, Mrs Kafayat Animashaun-Odunayo among other top government officials.

•Partly based on a Channels TV report. Photo shows Governor Fashola and other officials at the collapsed Synagogue church building . . . yesterday in Lagos.

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