Lagos intensifies coordination of master plans

Lagos intensifies coordination of master plans
The Punch, Monday April 13, 2009
Akinpelu Dada


I N a bid to properly organise and coordinate the development of the different parts of the state, the Lagos State Government will this year intensify work on the preparation of a number of development guides and master plans.
Preliminary survey works have commenced on both the Badagry and the Lagos Mainland Central Master Plan projects, which contracts were awarded earlier in the year.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Bolaji Abosede, who disclosed this on Thursday at a press briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of the Governor Babatunde Fashola?s administration, said that field works on the Ikorodu Master Plan had been concluded, while the preliminary report was ready for review.

On the Ikeja Model City Plan, which was recently presented to stakeholders, the he said the state?s executive council had approved it and that the final report would soon be ready.

The council has also approved the proposal for the preparation of the Alimosho Model City Plan, which is currently awaiting the consideration of the state Consultancy Board.

On the planned relocation of the Oko Baba Sawmill, Abosede said that the Agbowa site approved for the resettlement of its operators had been cleared for sand filling and redevelopment with a Memorandum of Understanding already agreed with developers under the Public-Private Partnership model.

He said that work was progressing on the redevelopment of the Tejuosho Market, with the construction of the basement floor and DPC level.

Similarly, he said, work on the redevelopment of the Oyingbo Market is under way and is currently at the substructure level, while the development of the Oluwole Market had commenced with the resettlement of the residents, just as actual construction had reached the third floor level.

The site of the Ikorodu Regional Foodstuffs Market, according to Abosede, is being prepared for possession under a PPP arrangement. The site would, upon completion, host market men and women who would be moved from the Mile 12 Market.

The ministry has also cleared the site of the Ikeja Shopping Plaza with actual development scheduled to commence soon.

On site selection, design and relocation, the commissioner said that the ministry was currently working on the ECOWAS Wholesale Market, Badagry; and the relocation of auto parts dealers to Mowe and the Computer Village from Ikeja to Oke Odo in Alimosho.

In the last one year, Abosede said that the ministry had successfully tackled the demolition of the partially collapsed Bank of Industry building on Broad Street with the site being currently cleared, while the design of the development proposal for the area around the site was ongoing.

He noted that the ministry was also establishing the alignment of Right of Way of the10-lane Badagry Expressway to incorporate the light rail corridor; the Lekki-Epe Expressway and coastal road; Yaba-Oyingbo Way, and was taking inventory of properties within the alignments.

Abosede said that the ministry would also ensure the removal of structures within the alignments and the integration of existing layouts into the road alignments.

He said, "The ministry intends to pursue further the public participation through inclusive governance by intensifying our efforts in public-private partnership, expand the scope for a sustainable development as well as assert our statutory responsibilities should the need arise. This will give Lagos the new face as one of the worlds mega cities."