Lagos State Safety Commission today March 21st 2022, says its set to implement owner occupier liability insurance for all public buildings, setting the stage for insurance to be the risk carrier in the event of risk to third party.
Director General of the state safety commission, Lanre Omojola, who was joined in the briefing to herald the position of Lagos by the insurance industry armada comprising – Nigerian Insurers Association, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers and the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, including high calibre insurers, said the risk can longer remain with the state government that has acted severally as the final line of compensation to victims.
Omojola said in the last 44 years, the state has witnessed over 480 incidents of collapse buildings both under construction and residential buildings. The state Safety chieftain said government would rather focus on its responsibility to protect life’s and property and transfer the risk of public buildings and buildings under construction to insurers.
He said the Commission has developed a digital platform warehousing data of buildings of institutions and properties of all dimensions so that insurers can latch on this and have a verifiable platform for occupies insurance liability cover provision that is transparent in the whole length and breadth of it.
Pointing to the Commission’ mandate within the safer Lagos mantra, Omojola said its has the mandate to issue safety compliance liability insurance certificate to occupiers of buildings so that the tenant of such buildings have protection for third parties who are exposed to risks while at the property. According to him, the exposure to the public is in stages, the first is sustainable engagement, public awareness including road shows stressing the benefits of the policy to the tenants, and third parties who are the beneficiary of the policy.
