FACED with low patronage, non-recognition of physical planning by the citizens and government, town planners have moved to chart a new course for urban development in the country.
They claim that planning is not yet visible, as 70 per cent of Lagos property owners have no building permits and approvals; while the profession lacks requisite curriculum that promotes environmental planning.
Members of the (NITP) met last week at a colloquium tagged: |Making Town Planning More Visible. Town Planners’ Colloquium”, held at the NITP/Joseph Awogbemi House, Alausa, Ikeja, which examined issues that touched on planning and national development, challenges being faced by the practitioners, government’s attitude to planning and other sundry considerations.
In his address, the Chairman, Colloquium Organising Committee, Alhaji waheed Kadiri, who is also former National President, Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), said the idea of the gathering came as a result of question being asked; “where will urban planning be in the new homogenous Ministry of Power, Works and Housing?”
According to Kadiri, it became imperative for the planners to come together and chart a course for the practice.
Specifically, the former NITP President noted that it is the time to move to the point of being relevant not only in urban areas but also in all spaces in the country.
“One of the challenges had been governments’ attitude and lack of appreciation of urban and regional planning. When decisions are taken, budgets are proposed and locational decisions are taken without considering urban and regional planning implications. Planning is remembered when there is need to blame someone or group”, he said, adding that political interference rather than intervention in the planning process creates room for a perverted perception of what planning is all about.
Speaking on the challenges facing planning profession, Mr. Makinde Ogunleye, a urged the practitioners to embrace a situation by which planners would form a consortium. This, he said, would be in line with other professional bodies.
Similarly, Ogunleye urged the practitioners to embrace new technology, and move away from carrying files, which was the hallmark of old practice.
“There is also the need to develop a Think-Tank that would comprise of at least, four members who will be dedicated to be working on certain templates that would not only move our profession forward, but would also increase our capacities”.
The immediate past Commissioner for Physical planning and Urban Development in Lagos, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde, in his comment, lampooned the institute for what he described as lack of fraternity amongst the members.
Ayinde was of the opinion that communal success is sustainable than individual success. “So, if we want to make planning more visible, we must show interest in how our colleagues are faring”.
Dr. (Mrs.) Taibat Lawanson, lamented lack of requisite curriculum that promotes environmental planning.
She also urged the civil servants who are town planners not to relegate the profession . To Mr. Tunji Badejo, loss of societal values is eroding the credibility of town planners. Everybody wants to cut corners and this is not good for any society.
“Apart from that, it is great irony that some people doesn’t even know the size of land they are dealing with. Even, an agency such as LABSCA cannot give the data of houses in their jurisdiction.
“In Lagos where we have almost 1.2 million houses, 30 per cent of them lack permit and this is a great implication to planning. There are also lukewarm attitude to our model city plans”.
Another former president of NITP, Mr., Steve Onu, while making reference to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, noted that while the city was only 25 per cent developed, described as aberration, the need for Centenary City, where planners are not involved.
Sourced- Guardian news.
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