National president of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Dr Chime Ogbonna, has said that the full implementation of the first indigenous town planning law would ensure equity in the ecological system and the sustainable development of Nigerian cities and towns.
He disclosed this in a statement to commemorate the World Town Planning Day.
Ogbonna noted that there is no good housing without urban and regional planning and urged Nigerians to call for a full implementation of the 1992 Nigerian Urban and Regional Law which he said holds the key to sustainable settlements in our country.
He further disclosed that Nigeria is projected to become the third-most populated country in the world by 2050, hence the need to take adequate measures.
He explained that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the event as it was first celebrated in 1949, warning that the projected population of Nigeria in 2050 would put more pressure on housing demand in the country.
“This calls for collaborative actions by all key stakeholders – communities, private sector, civil society, governments and professionals to be involved toward making housing affordable, accessible and inclusive.
“Today’s celebration cannot be complete without reminding both the federal and state authorities of the need to comprehensively implement this all-important law.
“All over the world, it is commonly observed that any government which is not town planning conscious is not people and welfare-oriented.
“Let us insist on planned settlements for the good of all. Let us spread the message of the fundamental importance of housing and the imperative of ensuring housing for all,” he stated
Ogbonna further pointed out that this year’s theme which is “Homes: Start with Planning,” underscores the fundamental importance of housing for all.
“But this has been a huge challenge for cities and towns with varying degrees. By 2030, the UN estimates that three billion people, which is about 40 per cent of the world’s population, will need access to adequate housing. This translates to 96,000 new homes that need to be built every day to match the demand.
“Furthermore, about 100 million people are homeless in the world where one in four lives in terrible conditions that undermine their health, safety and prosperity.
“In our context, while accurate data on housing is still a challenge, Nigeria has no less than over 20 million housing deficits. Challenges of policy drift in the sector, access to land, mortgage, high cost of construction and general inflation in the country, infrastructure, political instability, weak institutions, and lack of robust private sector involvement, among others, have undermined the development of the sector over the years.
“This presents a frightening future for the country if concerted efforts by both the government and private sector are not stepped up to address these challenges,” he stressed.
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