The Nation Newspaper

Tag: megacity

  • Ambode: Above the euphoria of megacity

    Where is no doubt that that megacities comes with some benefits, chief among which is a large population of over 10 million people, which can serve as a potential market for goods and services. Megacities are naturally metropolitan; it thus offers multiple options in terms of culture as well as creative and productive engagements for diverse population, thereby encouraging healthy competition.

    However, while there are benefits in having a large population, it equally comes with its attendant socio-economic challenges, such as unemployment, crime, over stretching of infrastructure, traffic congestion, environmental pollution, overcrowding and stimulation of emergence /growth of slums, amongst the poor, who may not be able to afford the cost of housing in the city and thus create slums in the suburbs.

    Consequently, a large population if not well managed, rather than a blessing, can become a liability.  Investors knows this much and thus stratify potential markets before taking decisions. Beyond the availability of basic infrastructure and an enabling environment  such as mass transportation facilities, power, potable water, security, law and order and political stability, amongst others, other factors considered before taking investment decisions includes; the financial capability of the population and availability of skilled and professional workforce. There is no point in investing in a city with a large population without a reasonable segment of the population having disposable income to purchase goods and services.

    Similarly, in the area of skilled and professional workforce, even if a foreign investor decides to bring in expatriate workforce, they will still require complimentary services from auxiliary companies and agencies.  For instance, there has been report of a potential investor who renounced the decision to invest in Nigeria to a smaller country in Africa with a lesser market for its product, because of the unprofessional conduct of officials at the airport.

    Equally important in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of a megacity is the deployment of modern technology to make people’s lifestyle more comfortable, bolster security, enhance productivity and improve the ease of doing business.

    While a lot of people seems to be carried away with the elation of Lagos State being a megacity, it is gratifying that the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode is looking beyond the euphoria and striving towards engendering a smarter, functional and efficient megacity.  An area which is also being given priority and critical to the effectiveness of a megacity, but seems unnoticed, is the development of the human capital of the state.  Human capital development plays a crucial role in the functionality of a megacity.  The availability of skilled workforce in a particular area of interest could on its own attract investors, as amplified in August 2016 with the visit of the Founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg to ICT hub at Yaba, Lagos, to meet Nigerian technology start-ups, developers and entrepreneurs who have made a mark in the global ICT space.

    Some of Ambode’s efforts in the area of developing the human capital in the State includes; The Lagos Digital Library (www.educatelagos.com), which is aimed at providing unlimited access to knowledge, through the collection and curation of digital content on an online portal.  The content of the portal includes; Teacher Training Guides, Career Guides, Journals, Maps Encyclopaedias; Curriculum Approved Textbooks from publishers, soft skill training courses, e-test resources and archival facts of Lagos State, amongst others.  Plans are also underway to upload other contents such as research papers form tertiary institutions, vocational training videos and online courses on coding.  For the benefit of those who may not have easy access to the internet, free waivers are being provided in public places such as public parks.

    Another initiative on human capacity development is the CodeLagos, to position Lagos State as the technology frontier by training one million Lagos residents to code by 2019. Already, 171 CodeLagos facilitators have been trained.  This is expected to further challenge the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of our youths in the area of ICT programme development.

    Furthermore, the state government, through IBILE Microfinance Bank  and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (ETF), as part of efforts towards creating new jobs and helping existing Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMESs) expand their businesses, have so far provided a sum of N1.76 Billion for 1,401 MSMESs.  This is expected to encourage entrepreneurship, reduce unemployment and further grow the economy of the State.

    Similarly, government through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment and the Lagos State Technical and Education Board (LASTVEB) is retraining tradesmen and artisans in the state to enhance their productivity and upgrade their skills.  This training exposes them to modern trends and practice in their profession, thereby giving them a competitive edge. So far, 500 artisans have been retrained and certified. To complement this training, government is to provide an online portal for certified artisan and MSMES to serve as online market place for them and act as a platform for them to showcase their products and services to the world.

    In the area of engendering a smart city through technology, efforts are presently underway, to ensure that all Lagos residents are captured on the data bank through the Lagos State Residence Registration Agency (LASRRA). To achieve this, government is presently working towards the upgrade of LASSRA. The identification card to be issued to residents will also be enabled to pay for public transport services such as tolls and Bus Rapid Transit.  The availability of adequate data on residents aside from helping government in planning, will boost credit services, help track traffic offenders and criminals in general.

    Also, government is promoting e-governance through its Citizens Relations Management (CRM) initiative (www.citizensgate.Lagosstate.gov.ng), to facilitate interaction between government and the citizens and also provide some services to the public online without them having to come to the government offices. One of the automated government services which the public is yet to be making adequate use of is the e-planning permit system (e-pp). The platform (www.lagosepp.com.ng), allows members of the public to obtain building approval within 30 days at the comfort of their homes or offices. This development is expected to encourage compliance with planning regulation.

    A one-stop shop, the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment has also been created to eliminate multi-agency interface and ensure prospective local and foreign investors have a memorable experience while setting up their businesses in Lagos State. The agency also has an After Care Directorate that helps existing businesses in thriving and expanding.

    Also, the importance of a stable power supply to drive technology and engender a smart city cannot be over-emphasized. To achieve this objective, the state government is presently looking beyond the hitherto captive power which has generated about 48 kilowatts for dedicated state government facilities, to embedded power in clusters. In this regard, a technical committee set up by the governor is working towards the delivery of 350MW off grid electricity by the first quarter of 2018, 1200MW by the third quarter of 2018, and an ultimate target of 3000MW by 2022, through the network of Eko and Ikeja Distribution companies.

    Governor Ambode has further demonstrated his authenticity, by not pretending to have all the answers to the challenges of governing a megacity and allowing the private sector to bring independent perspective to governance through various committees such as the Economic Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee on Power, among others. Also, with the recent inauguration of the Lagos State Research and innovation Council, which will make available funds to translate research works and innovations into commercial activities, the private sector has been further challenged to engender a knowledge driven economy in Lagos State.

    So, while Lagos may not have the kind of resources of some affluent cities such as Tokyo and New York, it is at least gratifying that Governor Ambode is doing things differently and using the limited state resources judiciously, to build a more efficient and functional megacity.

     

    • Dina, a Public Relation Practitioner writes from Lagos.

  • Megacity: Unionists urge Lagos to accommodate slum dwellers

    Trade unionists, activist, diplomats, academics and other stakeholders, have called on Lagos State Government to find alternative accommodation and means of livelihood to victims of demolished  slums, shanties, road side stores. Many residents, whose houses were demolished got dislocated in the state’s drive towards mega city project.

    At a debate organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in commemoration of its 40th Anniversary in Nigeria, which  focused on “The poor must live – Demolitions of markets and workplaces in Lagos”, some of the panelists submited that people’s welfare should always be paramount in all programmes and policy formulations to check the high rate of unemployment, crime and restiveness.

    The debate also focused on how to ensure that in turning the Lagos to a megacity, the informal sector is not harmed, but given a level of protection.

    A legal practitioner, Adeola Samuel-Ilori advocated that the informal sector should be aware and exercise their rights so as not to be taken for granted by the government.

    “The problem is that many people dont know their rights and the politicians take advantage of their ignorance to subject them to all sorts of maltreatments,”he said.

    German’s Consular-General in Nigeria, Ingo Herber, who was the special guest of honour at the event, hinted that the consulate and the Lagos State will be partnering towards improving people’s welfare in the informal sector.

    Resident eepresentative, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Ulrich Thum, advised those in attendance to always use their power as tax payers to demand for their rights from the state.

  • Rebooting a megacity

    •Periodic review of the master plans of settlements in Lagos can only edify it

    In a mega metropolis where land is almost as precious as gold, every inch of the commodity is keenly contested for, sometimes with a vicious intent to gain maximum benefits. It is this motive that drives developers to break bounds and flout town planning rules and regulations. This explains why in every city and indeed in every built-up area, builders and official regulators are often locked in a fierce contest for space; the former seeking to clutter and cover every bit of it and the latter, trying to maintain its sanctity and aesthetics.

    It is for this reason that we are gladdened by the move by the Lagos State Government to award contracts for the review of the master plans of some settlements of the city. Speaking to newsmen, the commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Mr. Wasiu Anifowoshe, informed that the plans of four settlements would come under review soon.

    These areas are Kosofe, in Ketu-Mile 12 environ; Oshodi-Isolo; Ikorodu and Epe. He noted that in the last one year, his ministry had completed the review of six model city plans namely, Alimosho, Apapa, Agege/Ifako, Mainland, Ikoyi-Victoria Island, Badagry and Lekki. Also, the sprawling Katankowa Market in Agbado/Okeodo Local Council Development Area is undergoing massive development into a purpose-built modern facility. When completed, it will ease off the pressure on the overflowing Ikeja Computer Village.

    Explaining further, Anifowoshe noted that city plans are meant to be reviewed every five years. In this light, the Ikeja City Plan which became operational in 2010 is currently being prepared for another review. This is meant to accommodate changes that were not envisaged in the existing plan. It will also allow government to optimize resources and afford social and economic benefits to all.

    It is indeed salutary for government to be up to its game by periodically reviewing its urban plans. The benefits of this exercise are numerous and enduring for a burgeoning city.

    First, it is a way of renewing and indeed, rebooting the city, in a manner of speaking. Reviews would ensure fidelity to the original plans while upgrades and improvements are made as required. Routine reviews would expose breaches to the plan and expose encroachment on public spaces like parks and gardens, waterways, drainages, reserves, playgrounds and the like.

    A settlement not subjected to constant town planning review is akin to a farm cultivated with even the best seedlings but left without being weeded in due times. Such a farm stands the risk of weeds competing with and indeed choking out the crops.

    Examples abound of hitherto small markets blossoming and gobbling up their entire surroundings. Such developments often distort old settlements and make life unbearable for the residents. Most notable are the Ikeja Computer Village and the Ladipo Spare Parts Market. If review of settlement plans had been regular, these markets and many like them would have been identified and relocated to more conducive places.

    In the same vein, we have seen settlements which were hitherto purely residential grow into commercial centres and business districts. Some have grown into sprawling slums – filthy and over-crowded. Yet some areas are suddenly infested by crowd attracting businesses like hotels, event centres, cinema halls, sports halls and the like which were not in the original plan of such a settlement.

    All of these scenarios are often contained by routine and sometimes proactive approaches to town planning by officials. We commend the Lagos State Government, especially the ministry of physical planning. Managing a mega city is a helluva task. Apart from vigilance, it requires a lot of tact and balancing. The job at once, requires the firmness of an incorruptible judge and the understanding of a wise father. It is a tough job and we can only hope that requisite perspicacity is brought to bear even on these planned reviews.

  • From megacity to metacity

    Ironically, defining a Lagos State indigene, or Lagosian, was expectedly not quite straightforward as the Association of Lagos State Indigenes (ALSI) held the 6th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture and Merit Award at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, on March 22. Prof. John Obafunwa, the guest speaker and Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), who spoke on the theme, “The place of Lagos State Indigenes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, after a conceptual exploration that significantly accommodated “native and original inhabitants” of Lagos and those whose progenitors had settled in Lagos at least “60 years” before Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule in 1960, acknowledged the difficulty of categorisation.

    The topic, he argued, was “mostly historical and partly futuristic”, a perspective that allowed him to approach the definition of a Lagosian by presenting a “list of indigenes” that he described as “not exhaustive.” His logic was that the personalities, however, represented a picture that could prove useful in clarifying the concept. His list comprised Herbert Macaulay, Mobolaji Johnson, Lateef Jakande, Olatunde Vincent, TOS Benson, Babatunde Fafunwa, Teslim Elias, Gbolahan Mudashiru, Femi Okunnu, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Musiliu Smith and Babatunde Raji Fashola. Among these were a pre-eminent pre-independence nationalist, the first military governor of the state, the first civilian governor of the state, a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, three prominent former federal ministers, a former Attorney –General and Chief Justice of Nigeria, a former military governor of the state, a former civilian governor of the state, a former Inspector General of Police of Nigeria and the incumbent civilian governor of the state. Nevertheless, it may not be exactly clear why Obafunwa thought this listing would be helpful in simplifying the identification and identity of Lagos indigenes.

    Interestingly, the vice-chancellor took advantage of the forum to elaborate on what he called the “challenge of indigenisation” at LASU. According to him, the dream of the university’s founding fathers was that it should have a 70 per cent indigene composition, and since his appointment as the institution’s head in 2011 he had achieved 60 per cent indigene makeup. Although he did not provide an insight into the process, it is enlightening to note that as part of the 2013/2014 screening of candidates for admission, the Lagos State University Independent Indigeneship Verification Committee issued an illuminating identification guide, which indicated “acceptable evidence of Lagos State indigeneship.” According to the identifiers, “freshmen who claim Lagos State as their state of origin” are expected to back such identity with “Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant; Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant’s father; Evidence of title to landed property (Long standing title usually over 50 years); Written testimony from relevant Oba to certify claim to Lagos State; Written testimony from Secretary to Local Government.” The statement ended with serious-sounding information, saying, “Freshmen are to note that this exercise is so important that failure to scale through successfully means forfeiture of admission.”

    The journey to this juncture dates back to the 14th century, according to Chief Rasheed Tunde Fanimokun who chaired the event. He asserted, in the course of what he called “a historical address”, that a society called Eko had existed before the coming of the Portugese in 1472, adding that Lagos community emerged in the 18th century and Lagos became a British colony in the 19th century. He also highlighted the fact that Lagos State was created in the 20th century, specifically May 1967, and that the 21st century has witnessed its transformation to a megacity with a population of over 10 million, which he labeled as “a model of unity in diversity.” However, he expressed a fundamental grouse that was strikingly echoed by the major speakers throughout the duration of the event.

    “We are on the receiving end. We occupy a minority position in our state”, he complained. Chief M.F. Adeyemo, chairman of the planning committee, rephrased the same view in the form of a rhetorical question. She asked: “Why should the indigenes of Lagos State be relegated to the background in their state?” Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State for Defence, declared that it was difficult to “quantify the extent of marginalisation of Lagos indigenes.” Not surprisingly perhaps, he gave a political colour to the issue even though he preached “oneness despite our political differences.” According to him, “in the last 16 years the Lagos State executive council has been dominated by outsiders.” Obanikoro who represented Lagos State in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 shared his experience with the audience, stating that during his time as a federal legislator, he was “the only indigenous Lagosian out of the three senators representing the state.” He rejected the “near ubiquitous mantra of Lagos as ‘no man’s land’”; and pointed an accusing finger at those he referred to as “usurpers of Lagos indigenous space in political and leadership structure.”

    The enduring socio-economic importance of Lagos, which was the capital of Nigeria from 1914, the year of the historic amalgamation, to 1991 when the seat of the central government moved to Abuja, could not have escaped recognition. Obafunwa called it “the commercial capital of the country,” while Fanimokun described it as “the nerve centre.” Both men also argued for exceptional treatment for the state. For Obafunwa, it deserved “special status akin to federal territory for funding and infrastructural development to handle expansion and population pressure.” On his part, Fanimokun advocated “a befitting and well-defined status” for the state.

    There is no doubt that the burgeoning population of Lagos, a consequence of several factors including, notably, the irresistible attraction of the space as a metaphor for greener pastures, is not about to end. On the contrary, Fanimokun alarmingly prepared the minds of members of the audience for the phenomenon called “metacity”, also known as hypercity. He predicted that “by 2015 Lagos would become a metacity”, meaning that it would be home to more than 20 million people.

    It goes without saying that such a development would come with multidimensional challenges in the political and socio-economic spheres. The burden of the phenomenal enlargement must not be underestimated. It is predictable, for instance, that the indigene question will remain on the front burner. What is true for Lagos holds true for the country. Nigeria’s population put at over 168 million in 2012, and estimated by the United Nations to grow to 440 million by 2050, means that there must be an expansion of leadership vision to address the implications of not only current reality but also projected increase.