Nigeria: NITP decries shortage of low-cost housing in Lagos

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The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has decried the shortage of low-income houses in Lagos State.

This shortage, according to the Chairman of Lagos State Chapter of the institute, Mr Tayo Awomosun, has given rise to high rents and rising homelessness in the metropolis.

To address the situation, Awomosun urged the state government to come up with robust policies to address the mounting problems in the housing sector.

Besides, he called on the state government to consider the option of direct construction for low-income bracket of the population.

This, he said will significantly increase the available housing stock and relieve pressure on the housing market.

Speaking at a press briefing heralding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NITP, Lagos chapter, Awomosun said: “A major phenomenon in the state is the housing crisis being experienced in the forms of shortage of housing, high rents and consequently, rising homelessness.

“We suggest that the state government should come up with robust policies to address the mounting problems in the housing sector.”

Awomosun pointed out that the state of human settlements in the state and the larger Nigeria has remained parlous and a source of concern to NITP Lagos State chapter.

He called on the government to come up with more robust policies and programmes to tackle the problems.

“We observe the mounting problems in the planning and management of our towns and cities. We also observe the fact that the will to handle these problems is not sufficiently demonstrated.

“We are of the opinion that the government should come up with more robust policies and programmes to tackle the problems. I will highlight a few areas where government should act in more robust ways to salvage our environment,” the NITP’s chairman said.

As one of the ways to salvage the environment, Awomosun called on the state government to implement the existing operative development plans in the state.

“These master plans and model city plans generally contain proposals that will power the orderly physical development of the state,” he said.

As a ﬁrst step, he urged the state government to put in place a formal mechanism for the implementation of these plans and also invest in them.

For effective physical development, Awomosun said it has become essential that all communities should be covered by local plans.

He advised the state government to revive its previous efforts of preparing local plans for the communities in the state.

On the ongoing food crisis across the nation, he remarked that the situation has risen to the level of a full blown national food security crisis, noting that it has become more acute in Lagos State given its huge population of the poor and new immigrants.

While observing some policies put in place by the state government to ameliorate the situation, the NITP boss called on the state authority to plan for the long term food discount market programme already operating in the state.

“We particularly commend the food discount market of the state government and call for it to become a long term programme given its ability to address the immediate needs of the population without disrupting the food distribution chain.

“We also call on the state government to put in place medium and long term policies to address the food crisis in the state,” he said.

He urged the state government to revisit the state regional plan and promote urban farming so that the state can produce more of its own food.