Urban Renewal Agency

Vision:

The Ekiti State Urban Renewal Agency (EKSURA), like similar organisations worldwide, is a physical planning initiative that aims to combine policy formulation, urban design plans and capital outlays for the regeneration of blighted areas or traditional enclaves of major towns in the state. It aims at improving the physical outlook and infrastructural deficits of these areas to raise living standard, both aesthetically and practically.

Our Mission

The mission, values and responsibilities setting up the agency entrusts it with the following:

1. Monitoring and identifying areas qualified for up-grading and advising the state government on redevelopment or renewal programmes accordingly,
2. Preparing and implementing approved state urban upgrading and urban redevelopment or renewal projects,
3. Holding, administering and maintaining government-acquired properties within redevelopment or renewal project areas,
4. To designate urban land. prepare master plans and development plans with the provision of infrastructure for residential, industrial and recreational use in urban centres in the State,
5. To execute all foreign, Federal and state policies and programmes for the development of the State capital and other urban centres in the state,
6. To design and execute plans for the provision of municipal services such as the supply and distribution of water and electricity to all parts of the State
7. To design residential layouts and approve any design by private individuals or organizations after ensuring that they meet the laid-down provisions
8. To enforce compliance with any of its policies and development plans and take appropriate measures against any contravention
9. To make regulations with respect to its functions and to publish such regulations in the State official gazette and which regulations shall contain statements as to effective dates of commencement
10. To design policies for waste disposal and ensure that policies formulated by the Federal Environment Protection Agency for urban environment sanitation, pollution control and other related bodies are implemented in all urban areas; and for this purpose, the authority shall organize courses for all relevant agencies and organizations in the State to ensure the implementation of such polices
11. To consult with the appropriate organs in the State, to design and construct urban markets, roads transport terminals, and recreational centres, including hotels and source funds for their construction as well as ensure the collection of revenue for payment on any lands or funds being spent on their construction
12. To design and construct urban roads and appropriate drainage channels
13. To formulate general policies for urban beautification and
14. To do such other things as are incidental to or connected with its establishment.

The EKSURA is headed by a General Manager, who supervises the daily activities of the Agency. He is also the Accounting Officer. There are four departments in EKSURA, each headed by a Director, with each unit, like the Drivers/Mechanic Unit, headed by a “Head”.The departments in the Agency are:

1. Works Department:- This comprises the former operational units like Design, Estimation and Valuation, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Construction Management. The Works Department is in charge of all physical projects; it designs projects, prepares estimates and valuations, supervises projects handled by contractors. Prepares layouts for markets, parking lots and beautification projects, and also prepares certificates of job completion and makes recommendations for payments.
2. Administration and Supplies Department:- The department supervises all staff and treats all official letters such as receipt and dispatch of letters, preparation of briefs for promotion interviews, maintains files in the department, maintains discipline among the staff, organizes indoor seminars for the staff, directs the internal posting within the Agency and any other jobs that may be attached to the department.
3. Finance and Accounts Department:- The Finance and Accounts department maintains and manages the finances of the Agency in terms of income and expenditure, budget, requesting for the release of fund from the Ministry of Finance on the approval of fund from the relevant authorities, collection of release warrants from the Ministry of Finance and preparation/processing of requests for fund through the payment request to the Accountant General’s Office.
4. Audit Department:- The internal auditor is in charge of auditing all proposals within the agency and also making reports to the state internal and external auditors; it also carries out the monitoring and evaluation of projects carried out or supervised by the Agency.

The Agency has 18 members of staff, comprising 14 (fourteen) senior staff and 4 (four) junior staff. The Agency has serious shortage of staff in critical areas, especially the professional cadre – Architects, Civil Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Urban and Regional Planners, etc.

The principal officers presently in the Agency are: