By Justus Adetomiwa
The Ondo State Government has inaugurated a team of whistleblowers to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of physical planning and urban development laws across the state.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, is aimed at curbing illegal construction, ensuring compliance with building approvals and preventing encroachment on government setbacks, waterways and public lands.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Sunday Olajide, said the whistleblower initiative was conceived to involve concerned citizens in safeguarding orderly development across the state.
According to him, the whistleblowers are volunteers who have the interest of the ministry and the state at heart and are willing to provide timely information on building activities within their communities.
“Buildings are springing up every day across the state. Development and construction are happening everywhere. These whistleblowers will go out, either as a team or individually, to identify new structures and report to the ministry,” Olajide said.
He explained that the initiative operates on the principle of “see something, say something”, stressing that its core objective is to ensure that developers obtain the necessary approvals before construction and adhere strictly to approved plans.
The commissioner added that the whistleblowers would work closely with the ministry’s Building Control, Monitoring and Enforcement teams by providing information on illegal and unapproved constructions
“These are areas meant for public use like schools, hospitals, parks and police stations. Once any of these infractions come to the notice of the whistleblowers, they will inform the ministry for appropriate action,” he stated.
Olajide disclosed that 10 whistleblowers have been inaugurated for now, covering Akure South Local Government area, noting that the initiative would be expanded to other local governments across the state after assessing logistics and operational impact.
“We are just starting. As time goes on, we will set up more teams in other local governments of Ondo State,” he said.
In his message to residents of the state, the commissioner urged developers to comply with existing laws by obtaining building approvals before commencing construction.
“No physical development should take place anywhere in the state without approval from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. Those who have already started building should come forward to regularise their documents,” he advised.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Chief Oluwagbenga Akingbasote, said the whistleblower initiative became necessary due to widespread non-compliance with physical planning laws and inadequate manpower within the ministry.
He noted that many developers commence construction without approvals, while others deviate from approved plans, adding that the ministry has a responsibility to check such practices.
Akingbasote outlined operational guidelines for the whistleblowers, stating that their activities would be supervised by the Director of Monitoring and Enforcement and the Building Control Department.
He explained that the whistleblowers would serve as spotters, identifying construction activities even in interior parts of Akure and, subsequently, other towns across the state.
“They are allowed to check approved plans on site and report compliance or non-compliance to the headquarters. Their daily activities will be submitted to the Director of Monitoring and Enforcement,” he said.
The permanent secretary emphasised that the whistleblowers are not licensed officers and are strictly prohibited from collecting money from members of the public.
“They are not allowed to collect any form of payment. All complaints and reports must be channelled through the ministry’s designated GSM lines,” he warned.
He further disclosed that the whistleblowers would undergo training on relevant laws, operational procedures and ethical conduct before full deployment.
“We are not throwing them into the field unprepared. They will be trained on the rudiments of the laws guiding our operations and the do’s and don’ts of the assignment,” he added.