The Federal Government has unveiled a blueprint that ensures Esa-Oke town in Osun State develops in an inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable manner.
The planning area is in the Obokun local council in Ijesa North Federal Constituency. The 20-year development plan implementation is divided into four phases and is estimated to cost N8.6 billion. The Esa-Oke plan strategy requires the regeneration or renewal of its old neighbourhoods, such as Ibodi, Igbariko, Ijoko, Ile-Out and Oke-Iloro.
The preliminary report of the Esa-Oke physical development plan was showcased recently at a stakeholders meeting convened by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in conjunction with the consultant – Messrs Beachland Resources Limited. It is meant to support Osun State in its physical planning efforts.
Speaking at the programme, the ministry’s Director, Urban and Regional Development Department, Dr Akinola Olakunde, said the consultancy is one of the Federal Government’s technical plans to help medium-sized urban centres grow in an orderly and sustainable manner.
According to him, the socio-economic data collected has been analysed and the plan was envisioned to cover the Esa-Oke Urban Development Area of a 5km radius.
Olakunde said the preparation of the plan started last year in December, with an inception visit to Esa-Oke and meeting with the key stakeholders in the state; and identifying and delineating the project boundaries.
The Principal Partner, Beachland Resources Limited, Dr Moses Ogunleye, said the plan further drives efforts at the preparation and implementation of the National Physical Development Plan (NPDP), evolving a realistic development plan that will integrate physical /environmental, economic and socio-cultural elements of Esa-Oke, as well as determine the quality and quantity of infrastructure that will sustain the town.
He explained that vacant or undeveloped lands constitute 72.37 per cent of the built-up part, and are drained mainly by Magbo, Epolu, Akota, and Okorokoro, adding that the water bodies run from east to the western axis of the town.
The land area covers 4.36 per cent and 109.92 hectares of the planning area, made up of a palace, government offices, schools, health care facilities, places of worship, police station and motor parks, while educational land use constitutes the largest portion.
Ogunleye said the area plans will be prepared along the following zones, namely North Residential Zone, West Residential Zone, South Residential Zone, and South East Residential Zone, while subject plans to be prepared are cemetery, town centre, Olumojo market, South Park, district park, and town park.
The Owa-Omiran of Esa-Oke Land, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, lauded the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for considering Esa-Oke for the preparation of a physical development plan, adding that the project as a launch pad for turning the area into an urban settlement.
He said: “This project is the more significant in that no matter how large and cosmopolitan a community may be, it will remain a village if it is haphazardly set up and not properly laid out.”
He appealed to the Osun State government, and Federal Government to rehabilitate Esa-Oke to Okemesi and Esa-Oke to Esa Odo Roads.
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