FESTAC TOWN ROT : CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS SUPPORTS SEN. ASHAFA’S FHA RESTORATION AGENDA

PUSH NEWS 24 INTERNATIONAL : December 25, 2021

Civil Society Groups have rallies support for the developmental efforts of Senator Gbenga Ashafa over the revamping of FESTAC TOWN in Amuwo Odofin LGA of Lagos State. The group whose concerns have been to return FESTAC back to it’s enviable and environmental friendly state said they have understudied the strategy put in place by the Federal Housing Authority boss and confident if implemented to the later will achieve immense infrastructural transformation of FESTAC TOWN.

Push News 24 International confirms that Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa is currently the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2020. He was previously a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Lagos State.

Below is the press statement as issued to Push News 24 International by the Civil Society Groups .

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN FESTAC TOWN SUPPORTS SENATOR GBENGA ASHAFA LED FEDERAL HOUSING AUTHORITY MANAGEMENT IN RESTORING FESTAC TOWN LOST GLORY

It would be recalled that there has been recent persistent calls to restore the lost glory of Festac Town. Festac Town from its conceptualization after the end of Africa Cultural Festival in 1977 was to be a pacesetting estate in Africa. The infrastructures were properly planned but over time we have been experiencing serious distortion and corrosive devaluation of these same infrastructures for selfish reasons.

The quest for Festac Town to be a pacesetting estate in Nigeria have eroded over the years giving ways to deliberate distortion to it’s physically planned settings. A lot of spaces designed to make it serene and habitable have been turned into commercial spaces not minding it’s implications on the peoples habitation. Most of the recreational spaces have been into undeserving commercial hubs.

The federal government have in the past instituted different managements since the return of democracy to spearhead the restoration of Festac Town original plan from urbanly destructive tendencies. Though, they have found it very difficult until the present management led by a very distinguished poli-technocrat, Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

Senator Gbenga Ashafa has since swung into action on a very unique tone as we can see that the long stretch of the buffer zones from first gate to Alakija gate that had earlier served as slums and unorganized auto-mechanic hubs have now been allocated to their rightful owners. This action is already decimating criminal activities necessitates by those slums on that route and when the houses are completed it will add colours to the aesthetic of Festac Town.

We are also aware that some unoccupied areas that is serving as slums are being demolished in their numbers. Some places that were hijacked for selfish reasons are being taking over by the team instituted by Senator Gbenga Ashafa led management team. We are seeing FHA standing up to its responsibility under the present management.

As Civil Society Organizations operating in Festac Town, we want to throw our weight behind the present management of Federal Housing Authority led by a very experienced technocrat, Senator Gbenga Ashafa in ensuring that the lost glory of Festac Town is completely restored. We would also ensure that the management of Federal Housing Authority also reclaim spaces meant for recreational needs of the people without further delay. The spaces can be modernized through deliberate urban regenerative actions for the purpose of recreation that will positively engage our teeming youths.

There is so much spatial abuses most especially by group of persons that do not have any attachment to Festac Town. This has to stop without further delay.

This is the foundation of our call for a peaceful procession to the Federal Housing Authority Zonal Office in Festac Town on Wednesday, 29th December 2021 at exactly 10 am.

Issued by: CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS NETWORK FOR THE RESTORATION OF FESTAC TOWN
25th December 2021