Town Planner Sues For Slums Upgrade

A town planner based in Lagos, Mr. Makinde Ogunleye has urged the Lagos State Government to upgrade, renew, and develop slums in the state so as to improve the standard of living of the residents.

Ogunleye, who was the former chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planning (NITP), Lagos State Branch, while speaking to newsmen in Lagos, posited that many parts of Lagos State were still slums.

According to the town planner, when the slums are fully upgraded, such areas will be conducive for living, and that such will be in line with the Millemium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said “Development of slums means creation of more jobs and provision of more accommodation for the teeming population of the state”.

Ogunleye also urged the government to formulate policies that would ensure continuous urban renewal, and such that will befit a fast and growing metropolis like Lagos.

The town planning professional said “such policies would boost the government’s efforts in keeping Lagos beautiful, and sustainable development of slums is one of the major factors that would facilitate actualisation of the Lagos megacity dream”.

He
also listed effective drainage system, good road network, urban planning and easy coordination of governance as the gains of urban upgrading and renewal.