Sanwo-Olu seeks Lagos residents’ support towards achieving resilient city

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Monday appealed to residents of the state to respect physical planning, traffic, environmental and other laws of the state towards achieving a livable and resilient city.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by Dr Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser, e-GIS and Urban Development, Lagos State, said this at an event to commemorate the 2023 World Habitat Day celebration in Lagos.

He said his administration had consistently built on the Lagos Blue print for development towards creating a new sustainable path to the well-being of the state and its residents.

To Sanwo-Olu, the World Habitat Day is a reminder of the roles and responsibilities of leaders and citizens towards the environment in the face of negative impact of climate change and related challenges affecting the world.

“I wish to reiterate that our vision for Lagos is one that sees no bounds; not just one of a commercial centre, but that of a hub of innovation, culture and sustainable development.

“Fellow Lagosians, as I have said before, the task before us is a collective one. I, therefore, call on you all for your cooperation, especially by respecting physical planning, traffic, environmental and other laws of the state.

“It is by so doing that we can assure the resilience of our state, to which our destinies are also tied,” he said.

He said measures were being adopted towards closing social and economic gaps to make Lagos a resilient city and a choice location through purposeful leadership and building on past efforts.

“For the past 54 months, my administration has consistently built on the foundation of efforts to create a new sustainable path to well-being of the state and her people.

“We have remained focused on providing adequate social infrastructure and creating an enabling environment for all and sundry to thrive in the country’s economic capital and melting pot.

“We have also ensured that enough measures are in place to address their sustainability,” said the governor.

He added that his government had provided critical infrastructure such as the Blueline (lite rail), ferry services, Imota rice mill, Lekki Regional road and fourth mainland bridge, and structures to enhance the resilience of the state and its people.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Lagos has had its own fair share of the challenges including COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the ENDSARS protest, which caused wanton destruction of public and private property.

He said parts of the world were groaning from the negative impacts of climate change with Lagos not exempted.

He listed the challenges to include building collapse, gas explosion, flooding, rainstorms, fire outbreaks and gas explosion.

He said the theme: “Resilient Urban Economies. Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery” captured the essence of cities as organic and dynamic entities, where spatial and sectoral harmony produce reliable outcomes.

“However, Lagos, in the face of all these adversities, continues to soar high, bringing its resilience to bear and rebounding with vigour and innovative measures to guarantee a prosperous state that will pivot a 21st century economy to the benefit of all,” he said.

He said capacity building initiatives of the government for emergency responders, traffic regulatory agencies, security units and efforts of physical planning agencies were geared towards closing social gaps and ensuring that no one and place were left behind.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Abiodun, explained the significance of the World Habitat Day.

“On the Physical Planning front, Lagosians can be rest assured of the resolute pursuit of policies that will support transparency, fast track an informative hitch-free approval process, and bring about Zero tolerance for building collapse.

“The Certified Accreditor Programme (CAP) and the Certificate of Structural Integrity Programme (CSIP) shall remain vital in birthing a sustainable built environment with the much desirable collaboration of tested and trusted private professionals in the sector,” he said.

The guest speaker, Prof. Waheed Kadiri, said Lagos alone accounted for 65 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and over 70 per cent of national industrial investments.

Kadiri added that the state dominated the Nigerian economy, through commerce and industry, hence a force of attraction.

He listed strategies of the Lagos State government towards resilience but called for open data sharing among sister agencies of the state towards achieving rapid implementation of the policies