The Lagos State Government midweek received Ondo State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development on study tour of its Physical Planning MDAs.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, who received the team lead by Ondo State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Alhaji Aminu Takuro, said that the Ondo State counterpart ministry had taken a good initiative to see how Lagos had been able to address its many developmental challenges, in view of its population density, land use pressures and infrastructural needs among others.

Noting that the T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda remained the pivotal programme of the Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu Administration in Lagos State, Bamgbose-Martins, stated that there was a lot to learn from the Development and Building Control initiatives of the State, driven by the Ministry and its Agencies, especially the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority( LASPPPA) and Lagos State Building Control Agency ( LASBCA)

He hailed the visit as being in the spirit of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria( DAWN) and as one that would afford the deserved opportunity to compare notes and gain from the strengths and experience of Lagos State, where planning, through the defunct Lagos Executive Development Board (L.E.D.B.) in 1928, predates Nigerian independence.

Special Adviser to the Governor one-GIS and Planning Matters, Dr. Olajide Babatunde said that it would be of immense help for Ondo State Government to emulate Lagos and develop an holistic Master Plan for organised and harmonius development of its communities.

The Permanent Secretary,Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Abiola Kosegbe, urged the visitors to feel at home, adding that Heads of Agencies and Departments of the Ministry had been instructed to brief on their activities to make the visit of their Ondo State counterparts worthwhile.

Earlier, the Ondo Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Alhaji Aminu Takuro, said that the study tour was important for him to set his agenda as a new Commissioner, who assumed office about two months ago.

His words: ’’our ministry needs rebranding and out of the three states we are looking up to, Lagos State, being the Centre of Excellence, remains our best option, where we can have a lot to take away”.