Oyo State government has expressed its plans to embark on a digital address system for street and house numbering across the state.
The state Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin Funmilayo disclosed this at a meeting with a firm, Smart City Development Konsult Limited, held at the ministry’s conference room in Ibadan.
He said the plan was part of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s Omititun 2.0 Sustainable Development Goals, adding that the project was part of the promise made by the governor.
Akin-funmilayo maintained that the presentation made by the firm was part of the preliminary stage of the initiative that will lead to the presentation to the state executive council.
He explained that when the project was eventually implemented, it will ensure easy identification, location of buildings, and an emergency response for the state.
According to him, “As the saying goes, a promise made is a promise kept. His Excellency, in his Omituntun 2.0 Roadmap to Sustainable Development, made several promises. One of the tasks that falls under the purview of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development is house numbering.
“Out of all the promises made, which serve as covenant between His Excellency and the good people of Oyo State, house numbering stands out, and we, his lieutenants, are doing all we can to ensure its actualisation.
“House numbering involves assigning a unique number to every building. The importance of this exercise cannot be overemphasised. Among its numerous benefits, it helps in easy identification and location of buildings.
“More importantly, it plays a crucial role in emergency response, be it fire outbreaks or health emergencies requiring an ambulance,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that without house numbers, emergency responders would not be able to locate the buildings thereby fueling confusion, repeated calls, and potentially fatal delays.
“We all understand how critical time is during emergencies. Delays could lead to the loss of properties, or worse, lives. If fire services or ambulances cannot locate the right building on time, the consequences could be tragic.
“These, among many other reasons, are why we are committed to this house numbering project. Although this administration has less than two years remaining, we believe it is essential to start the process before we leave the office,” he said.
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