‘Government should focus on Infrastructure’ – Moses Ogunleye

In an interview with The Guardian, Moses Ogunleye, the president of Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON) highlights the needs for synergy between infrastructure master plan and physical development plan, including other related issues. Stating that the government should focus more on social housing, targeted at low-income earners because these groups of people constitute the largest proportion of our population.

He mentioned that the challenge has been how this group of people – low income earners, get decent, functional and comfortable homes.

He added that the government could do this through site and services scheme, which is backed by realistic funding, reworking our mortgage sector. Also, the housing loan board should be reinvigorated because this is much easier, to access than the mortgage loan.  To accompany, the government should focus more on infrastructure provision. Having functional estates without corresponding public facilities will not add much value to such homes.

Stating that there is no need of building an estate, which lacks access roads.  We should move away from community efforts to building roads, but government should make infrastructure a priority.