The Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO), in collaboration with the Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities Network) and ARUP, has convened an institutional workshop aimed at strengthening community resilience and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders to drive sustainable urban development across Lagos State.
Eko Hot News reports that the workshop, themed “Enabling Community Resilience,” brought together representatives from State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), development partners, academia and civil society organisations to review progress made under the Community Resilience Programme and identify strategic actions for improving resilience across communities.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Resilience Officer of the Lagos State Resilience Office, Dr. Folayinka Dania, who was represented by the Assistant Director of Town Planning, Tpl. Olufemi Dada, highlighted the importance of collaboration in building resilient communities capable of withstanding social, economic and environmental challenges.
He encouraged representatives of the participating MDAs to actively contribute their expertise and sectoral experiences towards developing practical and sustainable resilience strategies for Lagos communities.
As part of the workshop, participants examined the Ajegunle-Ikorodu Community as a case study, assessing the implementation of its Community Resilience Action Plan, reviewing achievements recorded so far and identifying opportunities for strengthening resilience interventions through strategic investments and stronger inter-agency collaboration.
Speaking during the workshop, the Lead for the Resilient Cities Network, Ms. Fitsum Gelaye, commended the enduring partnership between the organisation and the Lagos State Resilience Office, noting that the collaboration has continued to provide a solid platform for advancing resilience planning and implementation across the state.
According to her, strengthening partnerships among government agencies, development partners and local communities remains critical to building cities that are better equipped to respond to emerging urban and climate-related challenges.
The Urban Planner at ARUP, Mr. Jose Aitumadu, facilitated the feedback session, during which representatives of participating MDAs presented updates on resilience projects and interventions implemented within the Ajegunle-Ikorodu Community.
The interactive session also enabled stakeholders to identify implementation gaps, discuss sector-specific challenges and explore innovative, cross-sector solutions that will enhance community resilience and improve service delivery.
At the end of the workshop, LASRO, the Resilient Cities Network, ARUP and other participating stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration, promoting evidence-based decision-making and accelerating the implementation of resilience initiatives across Lagos State.
The partners also reiterated their shared vision of building safer, stronger and more resilient communities capable of anticipating, withstanding and recovering from the social, economic and environmental impacts of rapid urbanisation and climate change.
