Planners task LASG on strict adherence to Badagry master plan

As the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode unveiled his plans to boost and scale up the tourism potentials of Badagry and other developmental projects, Town Planners are of the view that for the success of such plans, full implementation of Master Plan becomes imperative.

To get this done, government must engage all stakeholders, bearing in mind that master plan components cannot be carried out without one form of resistance or the other. But the first step is to let people know that for development to take place, things can no longer as usual.

The admonition came at the backdrop of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration plan to step up infrastructural development in Badagry, which is one of the oldest Divisions in Lagos State.

Pointing out that just as its been done in Epe Division, also another contemporary domain just like Badagry and Ikorodu, Governor Ambode has been concentrating on developmental projects in the suburbs; the move he said is paramount to his administration.

Speaking in Badagry at the closing of the just concluded “One Lagos Fiesta”, Ambode stated that his government has perfected plans to massively transform the town in the next eighteen months starting with the construction of 500-seater Arts Theatre and a Cinema in January 2017.

Acknowledging the fact that the community is lacking in essential infrastructure and amenities, coupled with the fact  that there are lots of youths in Badagry, he said government has decided that throughout 2017, a lot of projects will be embarked upon and would be spread across division, particularly, tourism.

“To start with, this month of January, we are coming to construct a 500-seater Arts Theatre and a Cinema just opposite the General Hospital. You already see what is going on at the Badagry Marina, it will create a lot of jobs for all of you but more importantly, I want you to take advantage of the Employment Trust Fund (ETF) that we have created. We believe all of us that are out of job for now, we have designed a way that you can have access to the ETF so that you can create jobs among yourselves.

“I want people to live in Badagry, work here and also play in Badagry. That is what we have started; we are going to continue and in the next 18 months, Badagry will change forever for good.”

However, Town planners while lauding the efforts of Governor Ambode in the area of infrastructure provisions, particularly, in the suburbs, urged the government to ensure that these provisions are in line with the approved master plan.

Applauding the government efforts, a one-time Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos, Mr Abosede Francisco, a Town Planner, noted that because of the nature of the environment, people are used to haphazard development that seem to be convenient for them.

“But from what I’m seen so far, government is doing it right and getting the rhythm. But it would be better if the services of professionals could be employed to complement those of the officials.

“Besides, every project that government would want to provide would in one way or the other affects the status quo. But for the fact that people are usually averse to change, there will be a form of resistance.

“However, such resistance should not sway the officials from doing the right thing; only that government should carry the people along with its plans. But in all, every project must be in line with the original master plan,” Abosede urged.

In the same vein, another Town Planner, who, is the immediate Commissioner in the Ministry for Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state, Mr Olutoyin Ayinde, and by implication, under whose tenure the Master plan was prepared, stated that it would not be out of order if every project planned for Badagry fall within the frame work of the original master plan.

Ayinde noted that Master plan, as a matter of fact is meant to be a law, because it was endorsed by the Parliament. “So, from all intents and purposes, every projects marked for the community, and any community for that matter must be within the scope of the master plan”, Ayinde noted.

Although, he submitted that master plan, as the name connote, is the detailed plan for a giving geographical location, but that there are also sub-set plans.

“For example, a master plan will indicate where would be markets, schools, roads, residential and commercial buildings, and so on, but the sub-set plan would ensure that these infrastructure and amenities are in the rightly approved locations.

He cited example of neighbourhoods master plan (a sub-set plan), like the Ikeja GRA, Omole Estate, Magodo Estate, among others that have their peculiarities.

“My submission is that government will do well if it embarks on sensitisation programme, by which the community members would understand and buy into its programmes. These are traditional rulers, community leaders, market men and women, including the artisans and property owners.

“Why I’m saying this is that government is duty-bound to execute its programmes in line with the existing laws, which may not be favourably accepted by the people because they are used to the old traditional order of doing things. But from the available evidences, government is getting it right, as revealed in many locations where projects are being executed”, Ayinde said.