Lagos Commissioner charges LASPPPA officers on ethics as amnesty applications surge
LASG
The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide has charged officers of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) on good ethical conduct, following the rise in applications due to the ongoing Amnesty Programme.
A statement from the Director Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, today said, Dr. Olumide gave this charge on Monday while addressing LASPPPA’s management staff at the Agency’s headquarters in Ikeja.
He said that the increase in submissions recorded across LASPPPA district offices since the Amnesty window reopened was in tandem with his expectations as the programme, which runs from 1st November to 31st December 2025, offers property owners with existing unapproved buildings the chance to regularise their developments without paying statutory penalties, provided they meet planning and safety standards.
The Commissioner commended the public’s swift response but stressed the need for LASPPPA officers to immediately scale up operations to manage the surge.
“As experienced planning officers, you must ensure faster processing, strict compliance checks, and clear communication with applicants. It is your responsibility to treat applicants with utmost respect”, he said.
He enjoined officers to ensure that only buildings that meet minimum acceptable standards receive approvals while reaffirming that the Amnesty Programme was not an automatic approval scheme but a purposeful initiative to promote orderly development and ensure safety within the built environment.
He urged district officers to extend support to applicants, eliminate delays that could discourage compliance, and shun any form of shortcuts or underhand practices, noting that applications must be handled efficiently, transparently, and with absolute professionalism.
Residents were reminded to submit their applications either through the 57 LASPPPA district offices or via the Electronic Planning Permit (EPP) portal, and to ensure that all required documents including survey plans, proof of ownership, As-built design drawings, among others were properly compiled.
The Commissioner urged property owners to take advantage of the Amnesty window while it lasts, emphasising that the surge in applications showed widespread willingness to comply with planning regulations.
