The Lagos State Government has inaugurated an independent appeals committee to handle disputes arising from planning permits, demolition notices, building control enforcement, and other regulatory decisions within the state’s physical planning system.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while inaugurating the Lagos State Physical Planning and Building Control Appeals Committee at Lagos House, Marina, on Tuesday, said the initiative is aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and fairness in the enforcement of planning laws.
He explained that no regulatory system should operate without a proper avenue for independent review, stressing that citizens must have access to justice when they feel aggrieved by official decisions.
“A government that regulates without providing for review is a government that has placed itself beyond accountability,” the governor said. “Today, we close that gap in our physical planning system.”
Sanwo-Olu described Lagos as a city driven by construction and development, where professionals such as developers, architects, engineers, and surveyors interact daily with regulatory agencies whose decisions affect investments and livelihoods.
While noting that the system generally works, he said errors are inevitable in human administration, making a fair appeals process necessary.
The newly inaugurated committee, established under Section 79 of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, will serve as an independent platform for reviewing contested decisions made by planning authorities.
According to the governor, the committee has the mandate to examine disputes relating to building approvals, permit rejections, demolition orders, and development control decisions. It will also review the conduct of relevant regulatory agencies when necessary.
He explained that aggrieved developers or property owners now have the opportunity to challenge decisions they consider unfair, with appeals required to be filed within 28 days.
Sanwo-Olu further stated that the committee has powers to summon witnesses, request documents, and issue decisions that are enforceable like court orders.
“These are not trivial powers. They are mechanisms through which public confidence in our planning system is either built or eroded,” he said.
However, the governor cautioned that the committee must not be used to weaken building safety standards, noting that Lagos continues to face serious challenges with building integrity and collapse incidents.
“The purpose of building regulation is not bureaucratic formality. It is the preservation of human life,” he said.
He emphasized that where regulatory agencies are found to be right, the committee must uphold their decisions without compromise.
Sanwo-Olu also noted that members of the committee were carefully selected from professional bodies including law, architecture, engineering, surveying, and urban planning to ensure balance and independence.
“Your independence is the foundation of your value,” he told the members. “You are here to be fair, not to automatically support government or oppose it.”
He assured that the state government would respect the committee’s decisions and use its findings to improve planning processes and close identified gaps in regulation.
“With this inauguration, we are making a clear commitment to fairness, transparency, and accountability in the administration of physical planning in Lagos State,” the governor added.
