The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu has hailed the efforts of the State in creating sustainable communities around the state. He spoke at the celebration of World Habitat Day (WHD) organised by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, yesterday.

Sanwo Olu stated that the WHD with the theme: “Mind the gap, Leave No One and Place Behind” speaks to the sustainable  Development Goal 11  and the state’s effort to make  cities and human settlements inclusive, safe , resilient and sustainable.

The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, said it also aligns with his administration’s efforts to provide adequate social infrastructure and create an enabling environment for all to thrive in the nation’s economic capital.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Physical Planning &Urban Development, Tayo Bamgbose Martins, said tackling urban poverty and inequality have become an urgent global priority as around 124 million in 2020 and 163 million have slipped into poverty due to the pandemic.

He said this year’s theme seeks to direct global attention to the growing inequality and vulnerabilities that have been exacerbated by the triple crisis of Covid 19, climate change and conflict.

“Lagos State as a hub of economic growth and development is challenged by her successes as it continues to play host to economic migration and requires surmounting the attendant problems of urbanization and population growth, which have produced myriad social and environmental issues such as pollution, waste management, unemployment, housing and transportation gaps”.

He praised the approval of the Building Energy Efficiency Code (BEEC) and Green Building initiatives as well as the ongoing domestication of the National Building Code in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation and the German Donor Agency through the Nigerian Energy support Programme (NESP).

The Commissioner said the initiatives in addition to the current move to automate Planning Permit process and other procedures of his ministry will boost the provision of environmentally friendly housing and enhance the sustainability of the built environment in the State.

The Guest Speaker and Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya also highlighted the existing widening irregularities in the living condition between the poor and the rich. He canvassed the need to close as much gap as possible and frowned on what he called a conscious gap by the political class who in most cases go to the poor who live in blighted areas for their votes and immediately dump them after elections.

He called for  a policy shift  to areas of high resistance  which  he said  are mainly the poor and  low income areas who in most cases will prefer  immediate cash than  a sustainable infrastructure that would enhance their lives in a sustainable way.

Speaking on the slumisation of certain areas in Lagos he said slums emerge mostly because low income earners are not thought of while planning. “Apapa was planned for the whites without a thought for the urban poor who will serve them as drivers, cooks and gardeners giving room to a slum location known as Badiya the same can also be said about Victoria Island and Maroko and most recently slum locations are coming up in Lekki, it remains to be seen how the high brow areas can live in peace with the poor with so much disparity with them living very close. Governments at all levels must put the people first by socially including the poor and vulnerable by empowering them in every way possible.”