Speeches

2009 Lagos Architects Forum

May 13, 2009 - My presence in your midst today on the occasion of your Annual General Meeting/Forum is a delightful experience for me, particularly because of the existing collaboration between us and its implication for some far reaching legal and strategic actions taken recently by our government in the area of housing safety, regulation and enforcement of relevant laws. It is also in recognition of your critical role in assisting us in our desire and quest to ensure a safer, well-planned, and beautiful Lagos. You will recall that right from the early life of our administration; we have set our priority right in addressing issues that affect the living standard and safety of Lagos residents. It is in pursuance of this goal that we came up with the recent Bill.

The piece of legislation in question is the Lagos Model City Plan Bill, which I signed into law a few days ago. It is the final nail on the coffin of incidence of unorganized and collapsed building in the State with provisions for community participation, sanctions and penalties for offenders. There is more to follow as we are equally ready to enforce town planning and urban development laws and regulations.

Then on May 5, 2009 we held a stakeholders’ forum on the establishment of the Lagos State Safety Commission, which will coordinate the activities of all agencies involved in ensuring safety in the areas of occupational health, fire and food, public entertainment and hazardous substances.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I have always said that the challenge of building the mega-city of our dream is a collective effort, especially between the stakeholders in the private and public sectors.

I must say, at this juncture, that the Nigerian Institute of Architects, particularly the Lagos Chapter has been of tremendous assistance to the Lagos State government in our burning and genuine desire to evolve and implement policies to build a city-state that will be a pride to all Nigerians, the Lagos that is the economic and investment destination in Africa.

The new policy initiatives I highlighted earlier will have far reaching impact if professional bodies and traditional partners such as yours join efforts with us.

On this note, I wish to commend the organizers of this Annual General Meeting/Forum for extending an invitation to me to declare the Conference and Building Exposition open today. The 4-Day event with the theme: “Housing Estate Development- Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats”, speaks volume on the issue of housing in the State which I highlighted earlier by way of the recent Model City Plan Bill.

It is one thing for the State to pass a piece of legislation, it is quite another when it comes to effective implementation.

It is my fervent hope that your organisation will live up to its reputation and take more than a passing interest in this new bill.

These policy measures, like I said earlier were designed and taken for preventive and curative purposes. For me these challenges also present us great opportunities to make our profession and services available for patronage. The more we seek ways to yield our talents and professional training to address the huge social and economic challenges the more we also create wealth and empower ourselves and several people looking up to us for leadership.

One of the consideration that informed our conveying the stakeholders’ forum on the establishment of the Lagos State Safety Commission was the experience that physical planning plays a crucial and critical role in ensuring safe, functional, healthy and beauty of cities, big or small.

It was in recognition of this fact that one of the first steps taken by our administration on ascension in office was to inaugurate a committee on building regulations in Lagos State, which your chapter of the NIA, played a crucial role in our preparation for the draft policy on building regulations. This collaboration will remain and in fact continue as we forge ahead to execute the Mega-City project together.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, there is no doubt that the major role of the architect in the conceptualization of designs and proper layout of building structure must be complemented by an environment consciousness which enhances his ultimate role as project manager. One of the major challenges of the Mega –City is the evolution of an architectural identity that is a combination of the best in the contemporary world and works for our people.

The world is a global village now and so I would expect that in this age of global communication and innovations, the Nigeria Architect must constantly and consciously undertake research to keep abreast of major development in the world.

Once again, I thank you for extending this invitation to me and wish you happy deliberations. While wishing you a lively discussion at the Forum, I wish to state that the government will be looking forward to receiving the summary of the outcome of the discussions and decisions.

It is now my singular honour and delight to declare this conference and building exhibition open to the glory of God, the benefit of Lagosians, the progress of this profession and the reputation of the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Institute of Architect (NIA).

I thank you all for listening.

“Eko o ni baje o!”

BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN
GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE