You’ll be jailed – Abiodun warns contractors who compromise building standards

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has threatened to jail contractors or government officials indicted for compromising building standards in the state.

Abiodun added that if such an official or contractor is found guilty of compromising safety and standards while erecting buildings, he or she will be jailed.

The governor made this known on Monday during the Treasury Board Meeting on Year 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2022 Budget, held at the Obas’ Complex, Abeokuta.

Without mincing words, Abiodun said, “I am coming up with a law that will send workers in the building industry to prison.”

According to him, officials of the agencies responsible for building control “are susceptible to taking bribes,” threatening that, “I am going to ensure that there is something in our law that will send the head of building control agency to prison if a building collapses in Ogun State under their watch.”

The governor emphasised that the duty of building agencies was not just to generate revenue, but to also ensure due process and best practices in tandem with the State Building Control Regulations.

Abiodun maintained that it was not enough to give just a penalty or ‘stop work’ order to anybody who tried to build above the approved number of floors.

For exceeding the original approval, Abiodun directed that “the penalty should be punitive.”