LASG Set To Embrace Technology For City Transformation, As Rotary Club Donate PPE To LASUTH

The Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has commenced the move to automate stage certification, monitoring and urban renewal processes through the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA) respectively.

The Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, disclosed this on Saturday at the Secretariat, Alausa, after he had received proposals from experts on the initiatives.

According to him, “the Ministry has received proposals to apply Geo-Satellite images and data for monitoring and tracking developments in the built environment, and to collaborate with IdeaMap and other development agencies to employ GIS technology in the identification and mapping of slum settlements in the State, as well as upgrade blighted areas to assist the regeneration efforts of the State Government, in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the State government”.

Dr. Salako explained that the proposal for digitisation of critical activities of the Ministry was intended to facilitate real-time monitoring of the built environment for infractions with heavy reliance on technology to detect illegality as well as monitor developments with approvals for stage certification, deploying GIS technology and data for slum upgrading.

While noting that the proposals are preliminary steps towards aligning the activities of the Ministry with international best practices, he opined that the initiative was expected to yield many positive results, including improved ease of doing business rating of Lagos State, elimination of red tape and bottlenecks, discovery of contraventions through change detection and enhancement of revenue generation.

“Overall, this initiative will help increase performance and improve the orderliness and sustainability of the environment by reducing human elements and promoting digital monitoring of physical development in the State”, the Commissioner said.

Meanwhile, Rotary Club, District 9110 and NANDOS Group of Friends, on Friday, donated several medical items and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), in support of the State Government’s fight against the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

Receiving the donated items on behalf of the hospital, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, expressed gratitude to the Rotary Club and NANDOS for providing items that will protect the health workers, while at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19.

While thanking the donors for the kind gesture, he promised that the items will be deployed for rational and appropriate use and called on other well-meaning Nigerians to do likewise by supporting the Lagos State government in its efforts to contain the deadly virus.

Earlier, the District Governor, Rotarian Jide Akeredolu, who presented the items to the Management LASUTH, stated that the Club had raised some money to purchase much needed medical supplies for hospitals across Nigeria, and chose LASUTH as the first point of call.

He expressed his optimism that the items donated will go a long way in safeguarding the health of the frontline medical workers.

Similarly, the representative of the NANDOS Group of Friends, Dr. Adewale Adegbite, said their donation is in appreciation of the efforts of Doctors, Nurses and other health workers, who are at the frontline of the pandemic.

He explained that the donated items, which include disposable gowns, face shields and the N95 face masks among others, will help the caregivers mitigate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in the course of their duties.