Lagos raises concern over poor built environment

• The world marks Town Planning Day

By Dada Jackson

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its concern for an organised, livable and sustainable physical environment, saying all citizens must unite for the realisation of this noble  objective.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako made this call in Alausa while joining the rest of the world to mark the year 2020 Town Planning Day.

He said that the Town Planning Day, also called World Urbanism Day, was celebrated through out the world since 1949 on every November 8 to rally Town Planners and call attention to the importance of planning in urban development.

Salako stated that the Town Planning Day offered the opportunity for all and sundry to assess their  relationships with the built environment and unite to correct the observed imbalance because the sustainability of the physical environment was germane to peace, harmony and the safety of lives and property.

The Commissioner reminded professionals in the built environment of the need to always stand tall as standard bearers whose major preoccupation would be to adhere strictly  to the ethos of building right and in accordance with the rules of the Lagos State Government.

His words: ” we can never overemphasise the importance of complying with the physical planning laws  to the  safety of lives and property as well as the seamless development of the State”

He maintained that due to the different progressive measures implemented by the State Government to streamline the  Planning Permit process in Lagos State , Nigeria had successively recorded remarkable improvements in her Ease of Doing Business ratings.

While congratulating Lagosians and the rest of the world for witnessing yet another Town Planning Day, Salako noted that  the focus of the Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu  led Administration in the State was to aggressively implement the Operative Development Plans of the State, upgrade existing slums and prevent the growth of new ones, while forstalling the development of illegal buildings.