By LYDIA NGWAKWE

The Lagos State Government has called on residents to make input on how to improve Lagos Island before finalising its development plan.

Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mr Mukaila Sanusi, said in a statement that the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, made the call on Wednesday in Alausa, Lagos.

Olumide is quoted as saying that the meeting, which would hold on March 7, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, would gather input from the public to create a plan that would reflect the needs and desires of Lagos residents.

He described the upcoming meeting as the “final stage” for stakeholders’ input into the plan.

He emphasised the goal of developing an “inclusive” plan that would address the aspirations of Lagos residents.

Olumide noted that since the inauguration of the technical committee in August 2021, the planning process had involved multiple steps to gather public input, which according to him, witnessed a “bottom-up approach”.

He said that the initial engagement with benefitting communities saw the government having direct interactions with communities who would be directly affected by the plan.

He said that the government also had a public display of the final draft of the plan at four different centres across the plan area

The commissioner said it provided an opportunity for residents to review and comment on the draft plan before its finalisation.

Olumide said, “In view of the importance of this process to the enactment of an enduring Model City Plan that will be owned by the people, I enjoin Lagosians to participate robustly at the stakeholders meeting, billed tocommence at 10 .00 a.m, on the day.

“The goal of the Lagos Island Model City Plan is to harness the special characteristics of the area for the sustainable future growth and socio-economic development of Lagos as the preferred investment destination in Sub-Saharan Africa." (NAN)