Encomium
Lagos State Government on Tuesday revealed that the State is endowed with a well-structured and articulated master plan upon which physical planning process and implementation has been based to achieve the State’s vision of being safe, organised, business friendly as well as attaining a livable environment for all.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye disclosed this while playing host to the 22-man delegation from Bureau of Physical Planning and Development Control, House of Assembly and Representatives from different Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Oyo State Government on a study tour of the Lagos State Master Plan implementation and control.
He explained that Lagos was at a vantage position because the founding Governors had the vision of what the State would look like, especially considering its strategic location as the commercial nerve centre and high influx of people from every nook and cranny of the country.
Ogunleye added that various agencies were saddled with responsibilities of ensuring that the Master Plan is implemented as envisioned, but noted that the challenges faced by the State regarding urban development issues are enormous, particularly considering the large population.
“Let me emphasise that nine Master Plans and Model City Plans have been completed by this Ministry and agencies at different stages of preparation but there is no doubt that the challenges faced are enormous, especially on its implementation at different stages, the reasons which are numerous like you also experienced recently in Ibadan during the demolition of the Music House”, he said.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Boladele Dapo-Thomas tutored the visitors on the oversight functions as well as the achievements of the Ministry, giving critical analysis of how different agencies in the Ministry harmonise and cooperate with each other at ensuring various physical planning and urban development plans are carried out to the letter.
She highlighted the need for synergy amongst the Ministry and other Agencies of Government, explaining that the management team of the Ministry on several occasions met with the management of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) on the need to harmonise fines imposed on defaulters.
Mrs. Dapo-Thomas emphasised that urban development and physical planning development laws cannot be implemented alone by the Ministry.
Responding, the leader of the team, Tpl. Waheed Gbadamosi, who also doubles as the Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Physical Planning and Urban Development, expressed his profound appreciation to the host Ministry for the hospitality and unparalleled cooperation towards sharing experience on the process and implementation of Lagos State Master Plans.
