Oyebanji’s Government To Heighten Collaboration With UN Urban Developers

… Hosts A 2-Day Urban Development Programme With International Experts

By Akubulu Ngozi

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As part of efforts of the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to effect and accelerate development and urbanization in Ekiti State, the State is set to heighten collaboration with the United Nations Habitat, UN-Habitat, also known as UN Urban Developers.

The report of the collaboration was gathered from the just concluded two days UN Urban Development Programme, UN-Habitat Scoping Mission to Ekiti State by its representatives from Nairobi, Kenya with the State Government, tagged: “Assessment of Intervention Areas for Sustainable Urban Development” held at the Governor’s Office, in Ado-Ekiti.

As emanated from the Communique, signed by the State’s Technical Focal and Special Adviser on Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr. Gboyega Oloniyo, the exercise was organized as a means to assess and identify areas of collaboration and intervention between the international body and the State.

It reads, “The Technical sessions, organized as part of the Scoping Mission exercise by the UN-Habitat in Ekiti State witnessed the participation of critical stakeholders in the Urban development sector in the State”.

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Stating out some of the issues raised during the programme, the following issues were highlighted: the Land Information System and Enhancement of Own-Source Revenue (OSR) through Rapid Assessment and Land-based Finance; State Urban Development Policy; Smart Cities; Metropolitan Planning; Cities Investment Facility (CIF); Knowledge Zone; Climate Resilience; Urban Renewal and Flood Management Planning and Urban Renewal of Ado-Ekiti.

Other areas includes the Urban Observatory, Direct support on SDG indicator monitoring and urban renewal, housing affordability, preparation of spatial development plan, all of which were given accurate and maximum considerations and recommendations.

More so, the deliberation on the “Land Information System and Enhancement of Own-Source Revenue (OSR) through Rapid Assessment and Land-based Finance” focused on the non-availability of updated and current thematic maps that are fundamentals for physical planning and enhancement of revenue generation in the State, as such, a call was made for a systemic action in funding to make the instruments available.

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On the “State Urban Development Policy, Smart Cities, Metropolitan Planning

Session issues are targeted on the absence of a structure, master plan document and land-use plan, to guide development initiatives was discovered as a constraint to the State’s development, therefore, harped on the need for urgent intervention to counter it.

Also, on “Cities Investment Facility”, the importance of stepping up collaborations with academic/ Research Institutions, and professional bodies for research, innovations, evolvement of policies, development of skills, capacity and enforcement of standards, were deliberated upon, leading to a call for synergy through public-private partnership in funding urban development initiatives.

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On “Knowledge Zone, Climate Resilience, Urban Renewal and Flood Management Planning and Urban Renewal of Ado-Ekiti”, the need for a robust synergy among key players, feasibility studies, transparency initiatives, action-prone monitoring and evaluation, accountability in developmental project design and implementation to forestall abandonment and wastages, were deliberated on and the need to integrate and inculcate evidence-based working programming (data) was recommended.

Similarly, on the “Urban Observatory, Direct support on SDG indicator monitoring”, the negative impact of the non-availability of Urban Observatory for the collection, collation, analysis, sharing, and application of data within and across the State was recognized and the role of the Bureau of Statistics and the GIS centre were considered a combating mechanism. 

On the “Systems for Urban Policies”, the need for political will on the part of the government to ensure the enforcement and compliance with existing codes and regulations on building construction, refuse disposal, and management of drainage systems to avoid disasters were acknowledged with feasible recommendations.

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Also, on “Urban Renewal, Housing Affordability, Preparation of Spatial Development Plan”, an agreement was reached on the necessity to permanently decongest the Ado Ekiti city centre, Atinkankan by planning and executing a relocation scheme/programme and developing a comprehensive urban renewal policy for slum upgrading programs in synergy with the local Governments.

However, aside the UN representatives that were present at the Programme, the Executive Heads, Accounting Officers, and Technical/Professional directors from line MDAs, Professional Bodies, NGOs, and notable members of the Academic Community in Ekiti were present as well.

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