By Bolaji Ogungbemi
Plans Ikorodu master plan, cautions home buyers
To resolve development challenges, the Lagos State Government has expressed readiness to deliver the Ikorodu sub-region master plan as the proposed project reaches stage three of the draft.
The stage three of the draft precedes preparation of the final master plan, having gone through the interim and baseline report stages.
The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako who spoke during the technical presentation of the master plan by the town planning consultants, Cityscape Planning Services in Ikeja, emphasized that the master plan would address physical planning challenges caused by the growth of the sub-region over the years.
He noted that the Ikorodu sub-region master plan like all others, is essential in curbing the haphazard and unplanned developments in the area, stressing that it would drive socio-economic growth in the sub-region for the next 20 years as well as guide present and future development of the region.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba, lauded the progress made in preparing master plan, stressing that the project has a strategic role in achieving the government’s agenda.
In his contributions, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Foluso Dipe, an architect, urged members of the technical committee from MDAs to view their inputs in the master plan vigorously as there could be no meaningful plan without proper scrutiny.
The Chief Executive Officer, Cityscape Planning Services, Mr. Niyi Odetoye said, the Ikorodu sub-region master plan would go through a 28-day public presentation in the nine catchment councils and development areas, before it will be presented to the government for validation.
Expectedly, the master plan would cover strategic locations such as, Ikosi Ejinrin, Igbogbo Baiyeku, Imota, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Agboyi-Ketu, Ijede, Ikosi-Isheri and Ikorodu Central.
In a related development, Dr. Salako has warned residents and prospective homebuyers to stop patronising developers who engaged in building construction without approval from the government.
He observed that it is disheartening that despite efforts of the government to reverse the trend of illegal construction and its menace, some developers still do not adhere to building regulations in the state.
The state authorities had recently, sealed off 34 properties in highbrow Banana Island in a two-day exercise for violating planning laws of the state in terms of structure and location of properties, in addition to failure to obtain the required building permits
Salako advised that property buyers must request for permit, as a pre-condition for buying landed properties in the state, to avoid enforcement activities of the government, which will not be persuaded by sentiments.
The commissioner added, “prospective property buyers are strongly advised to request from developers planning permits issued by the government and visit the Lagos state physical planning authority to confirm the authenticity of such planning permit.”
MEANWHILE, in its drive to achieve its mandates of regulating, registering, monitoring and achieving sanity in the real estate sector, the state’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) has solicited for a seamless working relationship with the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) and the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti, Yaba.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson – Awoyinka, who paid a courtesy call to the offices of the two organisations said, the intention is for collaboration and to convince the public that the agency has the support of all relevant stakeholders.
She said that the collaboration with LASAA would assist in curbing the placement of unverified and misleading advertisements by real estate practitioners and property developers across the state.
Mrs. Benson- Awoyika stated that it became necessary to collaborate with the State C.I.D to curb the menace of the fraudulent practices of unauthorized persons in the sector, stressing that due process of prosecution would be followed in dealing with a recalcitrant practitioner.
Benson- Awoyinka assured residents that all registered real estate practitioners/property developers with the agency are now duty bond to operate with high sense of professionalism or risk being prosecuted by the government.
Responding, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID, Mrs. Yetunde Longe stressed the need for separate court to handle issues and matters on fraud in the state because of the volume of work load on Magistrate Courts.
She said that people visit the CID Yaba to complainant different issues including fraudulent activities, which often take a long time to conclude its investigation, but with the collaboration with the Agency and assigned Court, it will be easy to prosecute any acts of fraudulent practices in the State.
Longe assured of the support of the Nigerian Police on the issue of fighting fraudulent activities practices perpetrated through the real estate sector in the country.
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