The Federal Government has embarked on comprehensive review of the Nigeria’s National Urban Development Policy (NUDP).

This is with the view of fast tracking the implementation of urban renewal and alum upgrading programmes in several urban communities across the country.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed this in a key note address to declare open activities marking the commemoration of the 2019 World Habitat Day and World Cities Day, on Thursday.

He noted that the commemoration meant that Nigerians have the responsibility and power to shape the future of the nation’s cities and build the type of cities Nigerians desire for their good health and wellbeing as well as for the future generations.

He said the Federal Government is collaborating with the UN-Habitat in implementing the Participatory Slum Upgrading Program (PSUP) as a practical strategy to tackle the bothersome slum challenge, adding that government’s goal is to create smart and sustainable cities.

According to Fashola who was represented by the Minister of state for Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu, “We are mindful that our urban settlements offer multiple opportunities which cannot be attained without proper planning, that adopts contemporary partnership strategies, new technologies and sustainable development models in order to improve their efficiency, reduce inequality and increase prosperity.

The Minister stressed the government’s commitment to housing provision by aggressively and sustainably pursuing a model National Housing Programme which would turn out acceptable and affordable houses for Nigerians and with a lot of associated economic opportunities.

He said construction of houses is on going in 34 States with most of them largely completed and would soon be offered for sale to the public.

Further, he explained that the recently launched National Maintenance Framework for Public Buildings was a deliberate strategy aimed at improving the maintenance culture and preservation of Public Buildings in general.

In a message, the UN-Habitat Executive Directive, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, pointed out that one of the most intractable problems in many communities remained the “mounds of waste in the streets, effluent in our rivers, our overflowing landfills and the thick smoke from smouldering piles of rubbish.

“Every year our homes, factories, industries, offices, markets and shops produce 7-10 billion tonnes of waste that are polluting our air, soil and water, killing marine life, contributing to climate change and threatening to climate change and threatening the health of our planet and its population.”

However, he said with the theme of this year being “Frontier technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste to wealth”, technology could be used to achieve a healthier environment.