As part of efforts to further ensure that structures are built in accordance with the Ogun State Master Plan, members of the public have been admonished to obtain planning information from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development before applying for a Certificate of Occupancy (CofO).  

 Commissioner in the Ministry, Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami,  droped the advice in Abeokuta, while receiving post-graduate students of the Housing and Development Department of the Centre for Planning Studies, Lagos State University.

Odunlami emphasised that the government and citizens have roles to play for proper physical development to take place in a controlled, functional, and holistic manner, noting that many challenges could have been averted if people followed the Master plan for areas where their properties were located.

"In the past, the Bureau of Lands and Survey had the responsibility of allocating land use on C of Os. We however discovered that a lot of times, the land use allocated contradicted the development schemes which the State should be following.

‘’Today in Ogun, only the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development can determine an assigned land use in line with the prevailing development schemes of the State. It follows the Ogun Regional Plan of 2005-2025, which will be reviewed soon", Odunlami asserted.

He encouraged the students to direct their research towards creating sustainable future cities and seek collaboration with the government where necessary.

Responding, the Programme Coordinator of the Centre, Dr. Ade Adebayo commended the positive change in the policy direction of the Ministry, saying it had put the State in the top echelon of appreciable development in the country.