The Lagos State Government has announced plans to demolish the critically distressed building of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gbagada.
The decision follows the building’s failure to pass structural integrity tests and visible signs of distress.
Dr. Olajide Babatunde, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Enterprise Geographical Information System (eGIS), emphasized the urgency of the demolition. During a routine inspection, he noted that the church building had already been sealed by the State Building Control Agency to ensure compliance with agreements made with the church.
Babatunde expressed disappointment over the church’s failure to adhere to these agreements, which necessitates immediate action to prevent potential loss of property and lives. He explained, “Agreement has been reached with the management of the church to bring down the building and make it stay on just ground level because the foundation of the building cannot withstand the load it is carrying presently and the soil situation of the area is not very good. But unfortunately, the church has not complied with the agreement.”
He further stated, “There is no possibility of renovating the building because the Non-Destructive Test (NDT), seismic test, and other necessary tests carried out on the building show that the church building cannot stand.”
Dr. Babatunde also issued a warning that no activities should be held inside the church auditorium, and no one should be found inside the building. He called on all property owners in the state to undertake structural tests of their buildings every five years to ensure their safety and compliance with state building regulations.
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