By Jude Njoku

The Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko said he deliberately engaged professional architects in his efforts to beautify the state capital because of their (architects) eyes for aesthetics and in order to help correct the disorderliness that once characterised the city.

Dr Mimiko who spoke last week at the quarterly dinner and investiture of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, NIA in Akure, said the urban renewal strategy of his administration was based on his experience while working with renowned architects at the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development when he was the Minister.

Describing architects as wonderful and special people, Mimiko declared: “ They are the best visionaries, while other professionals just actualise their vision. Architects conceptualise something, which is hitherto not in existence, and create it in physical form that will be admired by all. They are not only scientists, but also artists, whose contributions have made very significant contributions to the modest achievements of our administration in the last four years.”

The Governor said his urban renewal programme centred on the mass majority of the people because they desired a cleaner environment to live and to do business in order to avoid any form of disease.

Buttressing the point, the Governor stated that street traders were removed and relocated to modern neighbourhood markets across the state, while other old traditional markets were re-designed into beautiful and neat edifices.

“We are determined to touch and add values to the lives of our people with our programmes and policies as we battle all kinds of generational poverty. That is why we are making aesthetics of our major towns a priority in order to boost the economy of the people in both formal and informal sectors,” he said.

The governor said that in a bid to simplify access to land and building approval without stress, his administration had created a bureau comprising professionals, who are major stakeholders in real estate development. The team will carry out one-stop processing of all papers relating to approval for Certificate of Occupancy.

Mimiko explained that his administration made it a point to pay adequate compensation to owners and occupants of buildings marked for demolition whether they had approved plans or not, before rolling out the bulldozers.