February 26, 2024
The Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has shed more light on the recent stakeholders meeting on the proposed petrol station in Ketu.
Contrary to the insinuation of bias by a section of the media, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide disclosed that the stakeholders meeting at Demurin, Oba Nle-Aro, Doyin Omololu, and Irawo Osan community was part of the routine of treating such technical proposals to ensure fairness to all sides.
“Advocacy by proponents for supposedly noncompatible proposals is a welcome development in town planning which, once received by the ministry, must be validated with the host community through dialogue”, he said.
Advocacy has been made to the ministry by the proponents of the project on the basis that Demuren and the adjoining roads are serving the Lagos Ikorodu road, with appreciable vehicular coverage.
The Commissioner added that the meeting with members of the community was in line with the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 as amended, while not departing from the avowed participatory approach of the Lagos State Government to physical planning in particular and governance in general.
Such dialogues, rather than vitiate the process, will help in considering all the sides to the proposal and in coming out with the best decision in the interest of the State and its people.
It is noteworthy that cases abound where such a process has led to approval or otherwise of facilities like markets, cemeteries, and petrol stations among others.
