Lagos — Lagos state government yesterday said that it has decentralised its building approval process to further expedite the processing of building plan approvals in the state.

Also in its efforts to ensure consolidation of its development efforts around the state, the government said the state's 2010 budget would place emphasis more on the completion of on-going projects than commencement of new ones.

State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Opeyemi Bamidele, said henceforth building approvals for one- two floor buildings will be made by the General Manager Lagos Physical Planning Development Authority (LAS-PPDA), while 3 -4 floor buildings and 5 -6 floor buildings will respectively be approved by Permanent Secretary and the Commissioner, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Speaking at a joint press briefing on the outcome of the three-day retreat of the State Executive Council and Body of Permanent Secretaries held at the Eko Tourist Resort, Akodo at the weekend Bamidele said all approvals for seven floor buildings and above will be made by the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Also, according to the Commissioner, the demand for the payment of N50, 000 and production of title as condition for seeking planning information has been abolished forthwith, adding that all information concerning building plans could now be obtained online.

In a statement signed by the Governor's Special Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development is henceforth to process building plan approvals based on evidence of full payment pending provision of actual title document adding that the office of an Ombudsman has equally been created for members of the public to allow building plan approval applicants lodge their complaints where final approval is delayed beyond three months from date of filing of application.

The commissioner, who said the government was determined to remove every impediment on the way of building plan approval process in the state ,added that in demonstration of its sincerity on the issue, government has dedicated two mobile phone numbers: 07059629744 and 07059629745 to the public to make their complaints in case of any anomalies arising from their applications.

He said, "the whole thing is done in response to calls by the stakeholders and members of the public that the former procedure is slowing down building processes in the state",

He added that government would further improve on its utilisation of Information and Communication Technology and e-governance processes to entrench transparency. He said efforts would also be made to institutionalise an enduring positive change in the public service through sustainable capacity building.