Relief may soon come the way of residents of easily the biggest housing estate in Lagos, nay the country, as the newly appointed Managing Director,Sanatorium Gbenga Ashafa is poised to arrest the rot of the once beautiful estate.
The former senator representing Lagos East in the national assembly 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.
It was built in the early 70s prior to the hosting of the 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture during the Murtala /Obasanjo military regime.
Ashafa, made his intention known Wednesday 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 had earlier commenced their 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.”
