BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

RESIDENTS of Osodi/Isolo Local Government have demanded that the state government design a ‘Master Plan’ for the area before the enforcement of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Urban Development Law 2010.

It will be recalled that the state governor, Babatunde Fashola in July 2010 signed the law with the aim of achieving a zero tolerance to incidence of collapsed building, illegal development, non-conforming development and others, with a view to ensuring better physical environment for sustainable development.

The residents who spoke at a stakeholder’s forum organised by the state government, held at the secretariat of the Local Government, theme ‘Roles of stakeholders in the implementation of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Urban development law 2010, argued that when there is proper physical planning, it would attract investors into the state.

They said that the Osodi/Isolo Master Plan will guide the growth and development of the local government and reduce loss of revenue invested on erection of building.

Speaking on the need for the new Osodi/Isolo master plan, a  resident, Mr. Isreal Orija blamed the state government for the indiscriminate erection of structures, saying “inability of the government to provide master plan earlier for various local governments caused such action.”

According to Orija, “after several years of erecting building in an area, the state government will send its town planning experts to the area to inspect the structures. After such inspection, the state government would mark some houses for demolition because they were erected on an illegal portion of land.”

Mrs. Uche Nwariocha said “Such act can be avoided with the introduction of the Master Plan for all the local governments in the state.”

Reacting to their demands, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, assured the residents that the state government would design a Master Plan for the local government because it is one of the strategy councils in the state.