Matilda Omonaiye/
Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has expressed readiness of the Federal Government to work with Lagos State Government in addressing the degeneration of infrastructure in FESTAC Town – a federal housing estate situated in the Amuwo-Odofin local government area of the state.
Ashafa, a former senator representing Lagos East, disclosed this during a meeting with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the latter’s office, yesterday.
Ashafa and some members of his management team, including the Executive Director in charge of Business Development, Hon Abdulmumin Jubrin, are currently on a tour of the FHA’s estates in the south-west.
Ashafa and his team commenced the tour with visit to the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan on Tuesday, where he disclosed plans by the federal government to construct 868 units of low and medium cost housing at the Ajoda New Town, another federal residential estate on the outskirts of the city.
Speaking during the meeting with the Lagos State governor, Ashafa said the FHA was ready to resolve all lingering crises delaying the re-modelling and regeneration of FESTAC town.
The new position of the FHA may have signaled an end to the longstanding disagreement between Lagos State and the Federal Government over the state of FESTAC Town.
On his own part, Sanwo-Olu described the development crisis in FESTAC town as “unpleasant”, pointing out that the population growth and influx of people led to the degeneration of the neighbourhood.
He explained that the failure of oversight on the activities of property developers in the community was responsible for the distortion the original master plan of the area.
He said, “I think we can still correct this irregularity and regenerate the entire area for healthy living and business, now that the Federal Housing Authority is headed by a highly knowledgeable indigene of Lagos. Once the Federal Government is ready, Lagos State will cooperate fully and work through our Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development on an agreed plan.”
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