CITIZENS COMPASS— Lagos State Government on Wednesday, reacted to a viral video pertaining to payment of permits on installation of solar power in the State.
The response became necessary following a resident filming some government officials in their bid to enforce the law guiding such installation.
Wale Ajetunmobi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made the clarification following the video which captured the officials in an attempt to enforce the law.
The government aide said the payment was for residents of social housing estates owned by the state government.
Ajetunmobi while making the clarification in a video explained that the installation of solar power in the social housing estates is regarded as an alteration to the original design and functionality of an estate building.
According to him, “This development is true, but the man who made the video seems to be misinformed about the Lagos State Government’s guidelines for installing solar energy systems in social housing estates.
“He is likely to be a tenant in one of these social housing estates owned by the Lagos State Government. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have raised concerns about something that was clearly outlined in the indemnity document he signed before the Government handed over the apartment to him after purchase.
“Now, to the issue: the Lagos State Government does not charge all residents living in the State for a permit to install solar power systems for domestic use in their homes, as the video suggested. Only residents living in the government-owned social housing estates are charged administrative fees for Alterations, such as the installation of a solar power system, before any additional development can be permitted.
“The reason for this is that the State Government is responsible for maintaining facilities in its social housing estates. There is a public electricity supply system already installed in the Estates. “Installation of an additional power system is taken as an alteration to the original design and functionality of an Estate building.
“Any alteration must be run through the Physical Planning and Survey departments of the Ministry of Housing for approval, material compliance and post-inspection checks. Those solar power systems are usually installed by occupants in shared areas; so this alteration must be approved by the facility manager (Government) before any occupant can proceed.
“The man in the video obviously did not apply for approval before embarking on such an alteration. The uniformed men seen in the video are from the Monitoring and Compliance Unit of the Ministry.
“So, the simple rule for any estate occupant is to contact the State Government (facility manager) for approval for any external alteration they want to undertake in their building. If an unpermitted alteration affects the entire property, other occupants will hold the government responsible.
