Institute wants Govts to be more proactive with Physical Development Plans

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has called on government at all levels to be more alive to their responsibilities by ensuring that every state and community has one form of local physical development plan or the other.

Mr Omotayo Awomosu, the Chairman of NITP, made the call at a press conference heralding the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and 40th Anniversary of the Institute on Wednesday in Lagos.

According to him, governments should live up to their responsibilities so that the citizens can enjoy better, saying that one of the areas government can live to its responsibilities is in ‘planning’.

Awomosu, emphasised the need for implementation of the various existing plans to ensure that every state would be covered with appropriate level of physical plan.

The NITP Chairman also called on the citizens particularly residents of Lagos State to comply voluntarily with comparative planning laws and cooperative legislations, saying that people should not wait for the government to chase them around before they could do the right thing.

He advised that the citizens should stop cutting corners and learn to build right by engaging the services of qualified professionals, stressing that building collapse occurs as a result of cutting corners and sharp practices by individuals and quacks in the building industry.

“The governments should do more in the area of physical development plan to ensure that every state is covered with the appropriate level of plan – Master Plan at the city level, Regional Plan at the state level and Local Plan at the community level.

“Planning is not about season; planning is for all season. If you have prepared well, it wouldn’t matter whether it is dry or raining season. Of course, there are specific precautions during the rainy season especially with drainage.

“As we know, Lagos State Government has invested heavily in the preparation of Physical Development Plans in recent times to make Lagos a better and more liveable city.

“But one important thing is whether the citizens, residents and communities are doing the right thing. Whatever the government does is just a drop; the residents, citizens and communities have more to do.

“Even if the government construct and cleared the drainage channels, people will still go and drop their garbages in the canals; causing floods and yet blame the government.

“So, citizens should live up to their responsibilities too and learn to comply voluntarily with comparative planning laws and cooperative legislations so that they can enjoy the environment better,” Awomosu said.

Speaking on the Institute’s AGM, Awomosu said that it would be a weeklong programme with lined up series of activities.

He outlined activities for the programme to include a visit to the less privileged, City Walk on Thursday Sept. 21, Panel Discussion on Friday Sept. 22, Thanksgiving service, Annual General Meeting on Tuesday Sept. 26 and the 40th Anniversary Luncheon immediately after the AGM.