Renowned economist and former presidential adviser, Prof. Pat Utomi, has urged state governments to consider partnerships on megalopolis cities’ growth pattern to drive development.
Utomi stated this in Lagos while sharing perspectives on Ehingbeti, the Lagos Economic Summit, to be held soon.
He described the summit as a strategic initiative and planning tool that has significantly driven the development of Lagos State.
“Think of the Lagos-Ibadan megalopolis, develop in Ogere a beautiful city; go to Abeokuta to develop a beautiful city. People can wake up and in 45 minutes they are in their offices in Victoria Island and in the evening, they go back to Ibadan, Ogere, and Abeokuta.
“This is a megalopolis and you think of the Boston-Houston corridor. But, this needs political will to collaborate with the adjourning states,” Utomi explained.
He said the idea of Ehingbeti came from the need to provide infrastructure and social services to the citizenry after the return of civil rule in 1999.
“It is good that the 4th Mainland Bridge is on the table now. It was a presentation topic of the Traffic Management Committee of the Ehingbeti in 2004.
“Ehingbeti feeds the Lagos Master Plan. It is the private sector setting an agenda for the government,” he said.
