Plateau State government has commenced the sensitisation and capacity building for stakeholders in the preparation and implementation of the new Greater Jos Masterplan.
The seminar was themed, “Challenges of Preparation and Implementation of Physical Master Plan in Plateau State, the Way Forward.”
At the unveiling of the 20-year masterplan, the commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Hon Ubandoma Joshua Laven, said the state was embarking on an ambitious urban development programme.
“The essence of this seminar is to prepare more reports and a masterplan for Plateau State. If you look at the previous or current masterplan, you will see that we started this preparatory stage for a new masterplan last year. A comprehensive masterplan requires stakeholders’ meetings like this where professionals and relevant stakeholders come together to discuss key issues and areas that need improvements.
“You can see the diverse group of people present, professional town planners, religious leaders, traditional rulers and various associations and organisations that reside within society.
“We need to hear their views and understand their needs in order to know what we should improve upon. We also need to know what distortions occurred in the last masterplan so that it could be avoided.
“This is why we are involving all stakeholders so that everyone is aware of the upcoming changes.
“The masterplan is not just a government initiative; it is for the entire society. His Excellency, Governor Manasseh Mutfwang, has emphasised the need for all hands to be on deck,” he said.
In the same vein, the commissioner for Lands, Survey, and Town Planning, Peter Gai, said that the new masterplan would tackle slum settlements, insecurity and inadequate building of structures, among other challenges.
He added that the masterplan would be a vision for sustainable development in the state, hence the need for stakeholders to support the move.
