Ondo State House of Assembly said all hands must be on deck at ensuring affordable land and housing as well as proper physical planning and development of the State.
The House noted that these will create a functionally balanced society, and socio-economic development .
The Chairman House Committee on Lands , Housing, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Abiola Oladapo stated these when he led other Members of the Committee on a visit to the State Ministry of Lands and Housing and the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in Akure.
The Committee called for robust relationship and cooperation as it continue in its engagement with the Ministries to foster development.
The Lawmakers commended the Management of the Ministries for a job well done, especially the efforts at generating IGR for the State,urging them to further put in their best towards delivering on the mandates.
The State Commissioner for lands and housing, Akogun Akinwumi Sowore promised to foster working relationship between the Ministry and the entire house, saying that the role of legislative arm in strengthening democracy cannot be overemphasized.
He informed that the Ministry is working on renovating more government quaters and introducing strategy of infrastructure in housing to make it more attractive.
Also the State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development,Olugbenga Olaniyi explained that the Ministry has nine directorates with eighteen town planning offices in each local government of the State.
According to him, the Ministry has been meeting up with target and mandate while the State government has approved three major projects for the ministry in the last three months which include the Akure master plan, the coastal areas master plan and the urban renewal of remote area in Akure which are being working on to engender development.
The Permanent Secretary, Lands and Housing, Edward Ogunmola who briefed the Committee on the activities, achievement and challenges of the Ministry ,said the statutory functions of the ministry are construction of public buildings either on direct labour basis or contracts, upgrading and maintenance of all public buildings to meet global standards.
He mentioned some of the achievements of the Ministry to includes, renovation/rehabilitation of some government quarters, repair of burnt area/storm damages and new work at OSRC, reroofing of leaking of government house store and laundry among others, saying challenges are,
Iack of acces road to some government estate, encroachment of government lands among others.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning, Chief Bunmi Alade appreciated the committee for the visit describing it as timely.He sought for the assistance of the house in accessing fund on the approved budget of the ministry for effective service delivery.