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Experts in the building industry have suggested the opening up of rural areas to more development as the panacea for decongesting urban communities. These experts reasoned that the cost of living will continue to rise in the cities because everyone is angling to go there to live.
An estate surveyor Mr. Bankole Adebayo, told Daily Sun that living in the city is no longer conducive because the cities are congested and those who have good reasons to be in the cities are finding it difficult to cope. Adebayo said that there has been an increase in the activities of hoodlums in the cities, making it less attractive to migrate to.
“The government ought to open up the rural areas by putting infrastructure in place to attract better development and improve the economy.
“As long as the government is neglecting the rural areas, the cities will continue to suffer. If there are employment opportunities in at least three cities of every state, it will help to pull a lot of people back to their bases and decongest major cities. If the rural areas are not opened up, those who live there would think there is something special in the cities that give money other than the suffering every other person undergo.
“If government understands what it means to open up the rural areas to retain the population, then the people will not struggle to rush to the cities. Opening up the rural areas has lots of advantages though the drivers on the seat of government do not understand. What they understand is what gets into their pockets, otherwise when you open up the rural areas, the men of the underworld will reduce, more idle youths will be engaged, micro-economic activities will increase and prices of food and other goods will become would go down.
“Today, we complain of food, we buy naira in Nigeria; raw materials for production are nowhere to be found, building materials especially the ones manufactured and produced in Nigeria have become scarce commodities. The operators in the builing industry are now handicapped because the imported building materials have became so expensive that developers are helpless.
“Urbanisation is a growing trend in Nigeria, with more people moving to cities in search of better job opportunities and improved lifestyles. The fuel price hike can accelerate this trend as commuting becomes costlier.
“Consequently, the demand for rental properties in urban centers is likely to rise, offering real estate investors a steady stream of rental income at the expense of the renters and buyers.
“Governments often respond to fuel price increase by redirecting funds towards infrastructure development projects such as road expansions and public transportation enhancements.
“These improvements can increase the overall desirability of certain neighborhoods, leading to increased property values. Smart investors who identify these emerging trends can capitalise on the potential appreciation of property prices in areas targeted for infrastructure upgrades,” he noted.
