National conference minus Nigerian town planners

The IPA stated the preface to the Abuja Master Plan written in 1979, with the followings “The Master Plan for Abuja the new Capital City of Nigeria, represents the culmination of 18 months work by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Board, the staff members of the Federal Capital Development, the several advisory panels and […]

The IPA stated the preface to the Abuja Master Plan written in 1979, with the followings “The Master Plan for Abuja the new Capital City of Nigeria, represents the culmination of 18 months work by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Board, the staff members of the Federal Capital Development, the several advisory panels and FCDA Consultants. Without the unstinting efforts of these experts, the momentum now exhibited in the beginning of actual implementation of the new capital could not have been achieved. The plan itself represents a milestone in the process of building the new capital city. It is a necessary element in the monumental effort about to be undertaken by the Nigerian people”.
Despite the importance of the Planning profession exhibited by this type of monumental project in the building of our Nation, it is a paradox that today a National Conference could be organized where many other professional bodies are recognized with the exception of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP).
Last week, we read the lamentation of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) over the continued violation of urban and town planning policies across the country. The institute stated that, “the violations are partly responsible for disaster occurrences, considering flooding and wild fire outbreak occasioned by the effects of climate change. Professor Epiphany Azinge stated that “there is no single village in Nigeria that has been successfully transformed into urban area either through political will or urbanization programme. He further said. “Apart from Abuja, I wonder if any other city is planned. Most towns look much unplanned and this has dire consequences in the face of climate change. The problem of urban and town planning must appeal to all of us in order to prevent cases of flooding and environmental disaster”.
There are myriads of problems bedeviling land development in Nigeria today. For too long we have been debating on the loopholes in the land use act, how to augment the millions of housing shortfall and how to put an end or mitigate the incidences of building collapse. Others are the types of incentives to give to the rural areas to curb rural-urban migration. The world population is now more urban than rural. Provision of infrastructure and other basic services must be planned at both rural and urban areas. The laws have to provide physical powers and financial means for national, regional and local authorities in order to enable them pursue their development policies. Who conducts the socio-economic survey to determine the adequacy or short fall in educational, health, recreational and other vital facilities, needed for the betterment of the society? Or who gives the best proposal on where to locate these facilities in our localities?
Apart from enforcement of development laws and creation of layouts and implementation of development plans, Urban and Regional Planning forms the background studies to handling the problems of forced evacuation, resettlement, Disaster Risk and Management. Others are the over 17 million housing deficit, the Social or Low Income Housing bill is now a subject of consideration at the National Assembly. All these are national issues. Planning cannot be practiced or development objectives can never be implemented, development contraventions can never be checked without adequate support by the law. The National Conference would provide the best arena for understanding these issues, unless it is aimed at only political jamboree.
We wish to conclude with Professor Azinges statement that “the problem of Urban and Regional Planning must be in the fore front of National discuss by mobilizing experts to raise public consciousness on the dangers of these violations”. We therefore wish to state that the exclusion of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners from the planned National Conference either by omission or commission is a serious disservice to our dear nation. We earnestly call for the inclusion of the NITP representation in the oncoming Nation Conference.