IBRAHIM QUADRI
Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN on Tuesday charged the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reclaim the BRT Lanes across the State, saying the tyranny of motorcyclists popularly referred to as Okada riders must stop.
This is coming as Sanwo-Olu announced a further extension of the provision of amnesty for owners and developers of existing buildings without planning approvals till December 31st within the State.
The duo spoke during the ongoing two-day Physical Planning Summit at Eko Hotels with the theme, ‘Rethinking Lagos: A new vision for a Regional and Integrated Megacity.”
While delivering his keynote address, the former minister of Power and Housing noted, “A megacity is not a choice, it is not a destination but a status. The number of people within a designated area which is 10 million and above. Once you have that, you have a megacity.”
He explained that this status of megacity has placed much burden on Sanwo-Olu, it means there are more headaches for the number of challenge that go with it.
However, Fashola challenged the town planners, saying in the megacity arrangement, “the most important member of that cabinet is the town planner. It is the responsibility of town planners to ensure how the megacity evolves.
“The town planners have become docile, they have not been taking the driver’s seat, they have not been vocal. If the town planners had taken steps on the journey of visioning, some of the problems we face today will be solved.”
While speaking on the environment, Fashola added, “Nature has been kind to us, if not kinder because we have almost everything but how do we use those resources, that is the role of town planners.”
He stressed that part of the problems in the country is that people built houses before constructing the roads, saying unfortunately after the building, they have no roads to their houses.
He charged the town planners to take frontal role, adding “It is the responsibility of the town planners to play pivotal role before the economic planners will come on board.”
Speaking on the Bus Rapid Transport, BRT which was his initiative as the Governor of the State, Fashola pointed out that the government should carry out steps to curtail the excesses of motorcyclists and tricyclists.
He recalled how he had to use veto power as the then governor during Sate Executive meeting to have BRT scale hurdles for the betterment of transport system in the State.
He noted, “The government will have to reclaim the BRT from the tyranny of motorcyclists, tricyclists and korope. I saw hesitancy during my time. The power of the governor can be used in order to be restored order. We must reclaim the BRT, we spent a lot of money to build it.”
Continuing, he further stated the proliferation of Okada, tricycles and korope is in conflict with what on envisioned on climate change.
Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu who acknowledged his predecessor’s impactful achievements in which other successors continued to build on, reiterated that the town planners must be placed in the rightful position.
He also extended the provision of amnesty for owners and developers of existing buildings without planning approvals till December 31st in the State.
The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide had recently disclosed that deadline for the amnesty would last till October.
However, Sanwo-Olu’s announcement was greeted with a resounding acceptance by the audience.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Olumide said, “The Summit is aimed at better positioning the State for investment as proposed in the ODPs. It has brought experts in urban planning, resilience, development partnership, legal and policy analysis, risk management, project finance and governance to explore options available for implementation of the sustainable development.”
He explained that OPDs which means Operative Development Plans have been exploited by the Governor to be “very responsive to the need for an orderly, organized, livable and sustainable environment and has demonstrated it by a doggged implementation of the THEMES+ Agenda especially the Making Lagos a 21st century Economy Pillar.”
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