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The Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa has instructed the agency’s Zonal Management to explore private sector funding towards maintenance of roads and other infrastructure in FESTAC Town.
This was contained in a communique issued after a meeting of FHA with relevant stakeholders in FESTAC and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
The communique said the meeting held on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 while Ashafa was on a working leave and had a management/ consultative engagement with critical stakeholders at the FHA South West Zonal Office in Festac Town, Lagos.
While setting agenda for 2022, the Managing Director stressed the need for adequate maintenance of existing infrastructure while creating new ones.
“Zonal management should look at avenues to raise revenue for development of infrastructure within FESTAC.
“To look into PPP initiative to develop infrastructure within FESTAC (fixing of roads, street lights, sewage etc) including corporate branding of such infrastructure.
“Management to sustain ongoing demolition of illegal structures and removal of illegal squatters,” he said.
Ashafa thanked the FHA South West Zonal management and staff for carrying out the policies and directives of FHA to restore FESTAC Town to its original masterplan.
He said the ongoing demolition of illegal structures and removal of illegal squatters in the estate would be sustained to restore FESTAC Town’s ‘lost glory’.
He added that achievements recorded by FHA so far was the result of teamwork and “pledged to continue to provide the needed leadership and support to the staff of FHA in the discharge of their official duties”.
He also thanked the critical stakeholders represented by Mr Shola Fakorede, President, FESTAC Town Resident Association (FTRA) and Otunba Kole Olatunji, Chairman 1st-3rd Gate Allottees for their unwavering support to FHA in the ongoing regeneration drive.
The Chairman Amuwo Odofin Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Valentine Buraimoh, pledged the co-operation and support of the council to FHA in realising the laudable objective of FESTAC Town restoration.
Mr Shola Fakorede, President, FESTAC Town Resident Association (FTRA) stressed the need to sustain the ongoing FESTAC regeneration drive while proffering solutions to revenue generation and infrastructure development drives.
Fakorede expressed the willingness of residents to fully co-operate with FHA to achieve its objectives.
He thanked the FHA management for their efforts which restored hope of residents that FESTAC could regain its original master plan.
On his part, Otunba Kole Olatunji, Chairman,1st- 3rd Gate Allottees made presentations on way forward and pledged the support of Allottees to FHA.
Olatunji praised FHA management while recalling that several allottees bought land in FESTAC “because it had the best layout and the biggest well planned estate in the whole of West Africa when it was built in the 70’s”.
Mr Lawal Umar, FHA’s Head of Survey Unit and Mr Alaba Omoniyi, FHA’s Head of Legal Department, on behalf of South West Zonal management also thanked Ashafa for providing needed leadership resulting in great results.
Mr Adebayo Badmus of Muiz Banire & Associates, the legal firm to FHA gave an update on the various legal matters pending in courts and the efforts towards early conclusion of the cases.
He thanked the MD/CEO FHA Senator Gbenga Ashafa, the Board and Management of FHA for engaging their firm, adding that, the Principal Partner, Dr Muiz Banire will personally defend pending cases.
Other stakeholders in attendance included, Mr Akintola Olagbemiro, FHA South West Zonal Manager, traditional rulers, Mr Victor Nwaesei, a FESTAC resident, Mr Segun Odunuyi, a stakeholder, among others.
