Lagos State government plans temporary shelters, to tackle illegal developments

The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako has urged residents and property developers in Lagos to voluntarily comply with existing regulations on building development to improve the state of planning in Lagos. Salako stated this when members of the town planning profession, Lagos chapter held an event in his honour, in Lagos. He assured them that the ministry would ensure a physical planning environment that would be more proactive to its mandate.

According to him, government would ensure zero tolerance to illegal development and promote policies that would uplift Lagos economy to a 21st century where things work. He described the appointment as a call to serve the people of Lagos state and help the state governor achieve programmes that would engender a greater Lagos state.

“We will encourage people to build by obtaining their planning permits to reduce illegal developments. Town planning as a profession will be given its pride of place in the state. We will encourage professionalism and ethical practice by practitioners”, he said.

The NITP Lagos chairman, Bisi Adedire, advised the commissioner not to forget his background stressing that the future is more important that the present. Speaking during a mentoring session for young town planners organised in honour of a former commissioner for the ministry, Toyin Ayinde who celebrated his birthday, the guest speaker, Bright Okwuenga charged professionals to open up opportunities for young planners to lead the future by giving them sound professional training and mentoring for career growth.

On his part, a former National President, Nigeria Institute of town planners, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri, emphasised that mentoring, is a two-sided affair between the mentor and mentees.

Meanwhile, the state government is considering the option of providing temporary shelter for distressed and vulnerable members of the society.Destitute and vulnerable people constitute a large chunk of the state population because of escalating conflicts across the nation, thereby compounding the huge housing deficit in the state estimated to be about three million units.

The Guardian learnt that the state is witnessing high influx of people including people displaced and distressed as result of crisis and insurgency.But the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Adetoke Benson-Awoyinka said the ministry of housing will look into the provision of temporary shelter for the distressed and vulnerable people in order to reduce the problem of homelessness and destitution in the state.

Similarly, Commissioner for Housing, Maruf Akinderu disclosed that the ministry is disposed to speedily complete some of the ongoing housing schemes while private sector participation will be energized to yield an added value in the sector.According to him, the state has the wherewithal to compete favourably with smart cities of the same category all over the world in provision of housing. Maruf Akinderu-Fatai further called on all stakeholders in the housing sector to support the government in order to speedily achieve the vision of providing qualitative and affordable homes for all classes of people in the state.