Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration would enforce the verdict of the Coroner’s inquest into last September 12 Synagogue building collapse.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, said his government would uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law. He urged residents to respect the rule of lw.
The statement said: “Governor Ambode hereby reiterates his administration’s commitment to uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law and call on all residents to respect the rule of law.”
To this end, he said the Coroner’s verdict of July 7 made a number of recommendations which the government would act upon accordingly.
The governor said one of the provisions of the Coroner Law 2007 empowered a Coroner to commence an inquest to find out the cause and manner of death in an unusual manner.
He said consequent upon the collapse at the premises of the Synagogue Church building, the government applied that a coroner’s inquest be held into the deaths.
The governor said the government “would prosecute the contractor, Akinbela Fatiregun, of Hardrock Engineering Company Limited and Structural Engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who built and supervised the collapsed building, for professional negligence”.
The governor said the government would also prosecute the Synagogue Church of All Nations for neglecting to obtain a building approval, contrary to the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010.
The governor appealed to residents to always allow emergency responders perform their duties.
“He enjoins land owners to employ qualified and competent engineers, who must obtain building permit before construction,” the statement said.