Four cities namely; Lokoja, Kabba, Okene and Dekina in Kogi State are to undergo city structural plans to ensure sustainable long term development.
Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada gave the hint at the take-off training workshop organized by the UN – Habitat/Kogi State City Structure Plan Workshop.
Capt Wada who was represented by his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, said the prevailing urban related problems associated with growing cities in Nigeria and particularly Kogi State, would be address through the structure plan as well as enhance the quality of life of the people and the environment.
According to Capt Wada, the Cities Structure Plan would help address uncontrolled urban growth in the mentioned cities as well as check inadequate housing and unemployment problems.
The partnership between UN–Habitat and the Kogi State Government, Capt Wada explained would equally strengthen the urban renewal programme of the State Government, help in formulating appropriate urban legislation as well as develop an integrated Solid Waste Management Plan and an early warning system for climate change.
The Governor said the rationale for the structure plan lie in the need for the government to have a guided growth and sustainable long term development in the State.
While noting that a city’s spatial urban pattern has strong implications on economic activity and live-ability, he said the State Government looks forward to having a developed sufficient capacity through the workshop that would make cities in the State live able and conform with international best practices.
Capt Wada described the partnership with the UN–Habitat as another testimony by his administration for the rapid socio-economic transformation of the State, restated his resolve to urban renewal.
Earlier in his address, Prof. Oyebanji Oyeyinka, Director and Chief Scientific Adviser, UN–Habitat, said the workshop is targeted at addressing urban informality, urban design and planning environment.
The structure plan, Prof. Oyeyinka, added would check chaotic urbanization which usually leads to loss of lives and prosperity, said the City Structure project when completed would allow people in the four mentioned a cities live in consonance with best global practices.
Prof. Oyeyinka, called on stakeholders in the State to key into the city structure plan so as to avoid the pitfalls associated with failed cities.
It’s a good idea to block those leakages, so that they wouldn’t be able to steal money..But he need to act fast in terms of paying the state workers and the pensioners because they are really suffering and we can all see how things are very expensive in the country in general.