…as EDPA presents scorecard
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the ministries of Physical Planning and Urban Development; Environment and Sustainability, Office of the Surveyor-General and the Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS) to develop a master plan for Benin City and Edo State.
Obaseki gave the marching order while declaring open the Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA)’s 2018 Retreat/Stakeholders’ Forum themed: “A New Perspective to Real Estate Provision in Edo State.”
Noting that housing is essential to pulling investments and resources to the state, the governor emphasised that the key infrastructure for housing development is a master plan.
“There must be a master plan. It must be in place to help grow the state’s economy. Investors in real estate will not come here without a master plan that would guarantee returns on their investments. I am giving those responsible for developing a new master plan for Benin City and Edo State 90 days to commence work on the plan.
“It takes between two and three years to complete a master plan, if we have not started now, by 2021, we would have nothing to show the world,” he said.
Obaseki described the theme of the Retreat/Stakeholders’ Forum as apt, adding that it was in line with his administration’s vision of a paradigm shift in the state’s real estate sector.
“We have come up with a strong policy to engage the private sector in real estate development. Our focus is to restructure the agency responsible for real estate development. At the EDPA, the success of that move has propelled the agency to start several projects, including the Emotan Gardens,” he added.
“This year, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was in the state to help us with the foundation laying ceremony for Emotan Gardens. As a government, we encourage private sector participation and we are doing all within our power to make Edo State the destination of choice for investors.”
Presenting her scorecard, the Executive Chairman, EDPA, Isoken Omo, explained that since July 2017, when EDPA assumed autonomous status, an appreciable level of customer engagement has taken place resulting in about 76 per cent recertification of home owners in nine estates.
