Lagos State has sought collaboration with World Bank for development of mass housing schemes.

Commissioner for Housing Moruf Akinderu-Fatai called for a partnership with World Bank to ensure the vision of housing in Lagos Mega City was attained.

He spoke during a visit by a World Bank team, led by Senior Urban Development Specialist and Spatial Planning Community of Practice Leader Dr. Fuad Malkawi,  to the ministry at Alausa.

“Uninhibited migration to Lagos from states as well as  the West Coast has made housing provision critical. Given the littoral nature of the state, support is required in housing development,” Akinderu-Fatai said.

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He noted that the state needed to build in thousands  to accommodate the influx and sought assistance in the area of innovative technology to make housing development faster and safer.

“The required intervention in housing development now is new technology that can make for speedy delivery without any compromise on quality and safety.”

Dr. Malkawi expressed the willingness of World Bank to partner the state in developing and implementing strategies for urban renewal.

He said housing could not be treated in isolation without reference to efficient transportation, waste disposal, and energy supply.

The World Bank personnel said the bank’s focus  was to help in setting priorities and ensuring developmental projects achieved the desired impact on people’s lives.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Kamar Olowoshago, sought help in capacity development for middle professionals and artisans.

He said utilisation of indigenous workforce would reduce cost and enhance development of the state.

Olowoshago also sought assistance in digitalised monitoring of schemes to ensure speedy completion and delivery of projects.

Present at the meeting were the ministry’s top employees and Urban Development Consultant to World Bank, Dr. Banke Abejirin.