Policymakers Responsible For Chaotic Settlements –Ayinde

The national president of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Olutoyin Ayinde, has blamed the country’s policymakers for chaotic development of the human settlements.

A yin DBE stated this during a luncheon organised by the Abia State chapter of the institute in Aba, expressing concern over the rising cases of building collapse in the country.

Ahead of the 2023 elections, he appealed to the electorate to support candidates with sound physical planning and sustainable development plan, adding that nobody expects a functional city without planning.

In his remarks, the state commissioner for trade and investment, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, said the era of indiscriminate erection of structures in the state was over and charged the members to partner with the government.

Blaming the blockage of drainages, channels and flooding in some parts of the state on indiscriminate erection of structures, he urged them to ensure the physical implementation of best practices in town planning.

Similarly, two past national presidents of the institute, Lekwa Ezuta and Chijioke Odumuko, said physical planning provides the framework to transform visions into realities using space as resource for development.

State chairman of the institute, Mr Stephen Nwazue, said implementing the masterplan would set the state on the path of rapid growth and assured of the members’ commitment to actualise it.