Ekiti’s Urban Renewal Policy will Drive Industrial Growth, Says Fayemi

Ekiti’s Urban Renewal Policy will Drive Industrial Growth, Says Fayemi

By Victor Ogunje

Ekiti State Government has announced its plans to engage more architects as well as partner the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to ensure that its Urban Renewal Projects meet international standard.

The state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, stated this when he received the leadership of ARCON led by its National President, Sir Dipo Ajayi, and council members on a courtesy visit in Ado-Ekiti.

In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Yinka Oyebode, yesterday, Fayemi said the state would require the technical expertise of the umbrella body of architects in its bid to build a world class agriculture processing zone and the knowledge zone (smart city)-the two major projects designed to drive industrialisation in the state.

The governor, who hinted on plans by his administration to deploy Geography Information Science (GIS) technology for accurate enumeration of property in the state, said the state was also reviving its farm settlements in order to boost agriculture business, food security and industrial development of the state.

He said the next focus of the administration is the revitalisation of the Orin Farm Settlement, having successfully revived the Ikun Dairy farm in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Promasidor, one of the leading names in diary product business.

According to the statement, “We are definitely going to increase the use of architects in our urban renewal project. We need architects and experts in the design of the Agriculture Processing Zone and the Knowledge Zone (our smart city) projects.

“We need the knowledge, expertise and the support of architects and ARCON leadership in making these projects a world class.”

Earlier, in his presentation, ARCON President, Ajayi, who lauded the development strides of the Fayemi-led administration, urged the governor to ensure that the state takes advantage of the services of certified architects and professional support of the umbrella body.

ARCON, according to Ajayi, would make its expertise available to the state government in a partnership that would accelerate infrastructure development in the state.

Ajayi added that the body was building a N500 million hostel project in Oye Ekiti.

He also thanked Fayemi for the appointments of professional architects who are manning very important positions in the government, including the Special Adviser of Special Projects, Tope Ogunleye, and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Buildings, Wale Ajayi, among others.

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