Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration in Ekiti State has announced that it has partnered with the United Nations Habitat to develop structured plans in order to guide the urban renewal drive and development in the state.
The Special Adviser, Bureau of Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr. Gboyega Oloniyo, said the partnership focused on the preparation of a structured master plan for Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, adding that it would help guide orderly growth and coordinated physical development of the city.
Oloniyo spoke on Thursday in the state capital during a press briefing heralding the visit of representatives of the UN-Habitat billed for between October 15-17 for a scoping mission towards the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the state and the UN agency.
He said that the three-day visit would provide opportunities for the UN body to identify the various areas of intervention and familiarise itself with the situation on the ground towards coming up with a workable template for the urban renewal drive.
The governor’s aide, who said the initiative was in response to the accelerated urbanisation of the state, said that the UN agency would also help the state government in attracting funding from donors as well as support agencies towards the implementation of the structure plan.
Oloniyo restated Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration’s resolve to modernise the state capital, saying it would pursue its sustainable urban renewal drive with greater vigour to give the Ado metropolis a facelift.
Commissioner for Urban and Regional, Karounwi Oladapo, said that the urban renewal drive would help transform Ado Ekiti into one of the most investor-friendly metropolis in Nigeria.
Oladapo expressed regret that Ado Ekiti remained the only state capital among Southwest states without a master plan, hence the urgent need for a structure template to redevelop the state capital.
He assured the citizens that the urban renewal programme being planned was not meant to inflict any hardship on the lives of the Ekiti people, but to give the state a necessary facelift.
Credit: punchng.com
