The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that it has commenced the handling of maintenance issues in government-owned housing estates through engagement of facility managers to promote the wellbeing of residents of its estates.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr Wasiu Akewusola, in a statement signed by Mrs Adeola Salako, Director, Public Affairs in the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, said Akewusola made the remark at a meeting with occupants in Alausa.
“The Lagos state government is set to fully implement the policy of engagement of facility managers for the maintenance of its estates.
“Lagos state government is committed to promoting a conducive, decent and healthy environment in the estates, hence the policy of appointment of facility managers will be fully implemented by the state,’’ Akewusola said.
He said the facility managers would oversee engagement of security personnel, refuse disposal, lighting of street lights and cleaning and sanitation of jointly-owned facilities and liase regularly with the government on the state of the facilities.
“Facility management is critical in ensuring that the infrastructural facilities in the estates work perfectly and constantly; and that information that is required for prompt intervention is promptly received by government,’’ he said.
Akewusola, who was represented by Mrs Olayinka Patun-Ola, the Director of Estates, said that the engagement of facility managers does not remove the powers of the executives of the resident associations.
He added that their roles were rather to complement the efforts of the resident associations in promoting the interests of their members.
“Service level agreements based on the services to be provided will be prepared by the representatives of the housing estates.
“This policy which was laid down several years ago was initiated to curb the culture of neglect of common facilities and reduce the rate of depreciation of many of the government-owned housing estates,’’ he said.
In their responses, representatives of the housing estates called for fair consideration of their rights and privileges in the choice of the facility managers.
They also appealed for prompt government intervention in providing solutions to their infrastructural challenges while pledging to support the state in ensuring that the government-owned estates are functional and habitable.
