Town Planners Seek Inclusion In Metropolitan Development Board

The Nigerian Institute Of Town Planners has called for the inclusion of town planners in Metropolitan Development Board to assist in proper planning of the cities.

Speaking at the 6th press conference of the national president of the Nigerian Institute Of Town Planners, Tpl. Nathaniel Atebije said government needs to strengthen the institutional frameworks for physical planning, engage professional physical planning consultants to prepare plans and promote implementation.

According to him, “the government needs to strengthen the institutional frameworks for physical planning, engage professional physical planning consultants to prepare plans and promote implementation through massive employment of town planners and allied professionals to fulfill the goals of prepared plans. Government must demonstrate strong political will to fund plan preparation, capacity building andenact enabling planning laws to ensure coordination of the built environment. Taking immediate action on this matter will be an undeniable gain of our democracy.

“Nigeria must continue to pursue vigorously and practise the concepts and principles of sustainable development to address environmental challenges and promote resilience. We must report realistic efforts and steps taken to implement treaties earlier signed with other nations of the world that will be coming to showcase theirs during the forthcoming World Urban Forum.”

The president also called on the “Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and other stakeholders to prepare for a robust outing to Egypt in November 2024 where all nations shall gather to review the progresses they have made in achieving the goals of sustainable development. We must grow beyond the quality of representation in the past years at this international forum.

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“As an Institute, we recognize the dictum of ‘No pain, no gain’, and it is in light of this statement that we believe in patience and forbearance that will lead to meaningful progress, which will come gradually.

“We call, once again on the federal government, all state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to faithfully commit to preparation and implementation of physical development plans from the highest order to the lowest order plans to make implementation possible and impactful. Physical planning is not done in the head of any chief executive, & is done by qualified urban and regional planners who are available to contribute to the development of our dear nation.

“We particularly emphasize that the Federal Capital Territory needs to take decisive measures on disaster preparedness and management. The territory is back to another regime of flooding. The flooding which ensued Monday as a result of the downpour was speculated to have drowned some lives in a popular residential estate in Abuja. Poor drainage systems have made the location flood-prone and vulnerable during the rainy season.”