Govt. to prosecute contractor for building collapse

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Thursday said that his administration would enforce the verdict of the Coroner’s inquest on the Sept.12, 2014 Synagogue building collapse, in consonance with the rule of law.

Ambode, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, said his government would uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state.

He,therefore urged residents to also respect the rule of law.

"I hereby reiterate my commitment to uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state, and call on all Lagos residents to respect the rule of law."

"The coroner’s verdict of July 7,2015, made a number of recommendations which the state government will act upon accordingly," Ambode said.

He said that one of the provisions of the Coroner Law 2007 was the provision that empowered a coroner to commence an inquest to find out the cause and manner of death which occurred in an unusual manner.

Ambode said that consequent upon the collapse at the premises of he church, the state government applied that a coroner’s inquest be commenced into the cause of the tragic deaths.

"The state government will cause the prosecution of the contractor and engineer who constructed and supervised the collapsed building, respectively, for professional negligence," he said.

Ambode said that the state government would also prosecute the church for neglecting to obtain building approval before commencing the construction, contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010.

Ambode,therefore, appealed to residents to always allow emergency responders perform their duties of emergency as they were trained for this purpose.

He also enjoined land owners within the state, who intend to embark on construction, to employ the services of qualified and competent engineers, who must obtain building permit before construction.

Watch this video of Ambode's theme song.