The Lagos State Ministry of Housing has reiterated that allottees of the state-owned housing estates must obtain approval before carrying out any external alterations or installing solar panels on their buildings.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Abdulhafis Toriola, made this known in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Ganiu Lawal, on Wednesday.

Mr Toriola said that the requirement for prior approval was stated in the Letter of Allocation and Allottees Guide issued to beneficiaries at the point of purchase.

He said that the directive was put in place to protect shared facilities such as rooftops, walls and water installations and to prevent hazards, including fire outbreaks linked to poorly installed solar systems.

According to him, the ministry introduced specific guidelines following increasing challenges associated with solar panel installations on government estates.

“In recent times, the ministry had to intervene in fixing leaking rooftops and addressing fire incidents caused by improper solar panel installations by some residents,” he said.

The permanent secretary said that government housing estates were designed as social housing schemes with shared infrastructure, often accommodating multiple families within a single block.

He added that the guidelines were aimed at regulating installation processes, including the quality of materials and panel configuration, as well as the technical competence of installers to minimise risks to the entire structure.

Mr Toriola added that the regulations were to ensure equitable allocation of roof space among residents and provide insurance safeguards against potential damages.

He said that the ministry was open to feedback from the residents and would continue to conduct regular public sensitisation on housing estates.

He advised allottees to comply with laid-down procedures and contact relevant authorities for clarification when necessary in order to ensure safety, structural integrity and peaceful coexistence on state-owned estates.

(NAN)