EbonyHerald Stores Ebony Herald News24
Related Articles
Ayedatiwa reaffirms commitment to transforming physical landscape with $1.3b Investment
Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming the physical landscape of the state through the flagship Multipurpose Deep Seaport project in Ilaje Local Government Area, which is set to attract about $1.3 billion in investment to the state’s economy.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who made this known while declaring open the 2024 Conference of Directors and Heads of Town Planning Organisations in Nigeria, held in Akure, the state capital, assured that once the project becomes operational, it would not only decongest various ports across the country but also revolutionise the state’s economy.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Gbenga Olaniyi, the Governor explained that the urban renewal strategies of his administration focus on improving the quality of life for the people of the state by addressing issues such as waste management, housing, and access to basic social amenities. He added that his administration is also prioritising the development of master plans for major cities in the state to guide orderly and sustainable growth and development.
He stressed that he had directed the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to re-establish contact with the United Nations Habitat for potential collaboration in developing master plans for major towns in the state.
In his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the three-day conference, themed Effective Physical Planning as a Panacea for Integrated and Sustainable Urban Development in Nigeria, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arch. Ahmed Dangiwa, lamented the rapid population growth of cities, coupled with the loosely connected nature of land use and economic development policies.
He noted that these factors have led to the uncoordinated urban development of towns and cities in the country.
The Minister pointed out that only 11 of the 36 states of the federation have adopted the Urban and Regional Law of 1992, which was enacted to guide physical planning in Nigeria.
He added that states and local governments face challenges in plan implementation due to administrative bottlenecks and a lack of financial capacity for infrastructure investments, which are needed to keep up with the rising demand for services in urban areas, estimated to cost $2.3 trillion over the next 20 years.
Arch. Dangiwa commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda, under which construction work has commenced on a total of 6,612 housing units across 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory, now at an advanced stage of completion.
He added that work has also begun on 3,500 housing units in the three selected Renewed Hope Cities: Lagos (South-West), Kano (North-West), and Enugu (South-East). These are part of an MoU signed with a consortium of developers for the construction of 100,000 housing units across the country.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, noted that the conference provides a unique platform for professionals, stakeholders, and technocrats to deliberate on issues that could positively reshape human settlement systems in Nigeria and lead to a glorious future for the nation’s urban and rural landscapes.
The Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director and Head of Urban Development at the Ministry, Dr Akinola Olakunde, urged all participants to share insights, discuss challenges, and explore innovative solutions to guide human settlements towards integrated and sustainable growth and development across the country.
He added that a key highlight of the conference would be the sharing of submissions and presentations on respective policy and programme-related activities by all the mutual stakeholders.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Ondo State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Gbenga Olaniyi, emphasised that the failure to have a well-planned environment is the greatest tragedy and the main obstacle to environmental stability and infrastructural growth in developing countries, including Nigeria.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Chief Bunmi Alade, the Commissioner decried the various forms of environmental degradation, flooding, and irregular rainfall that have negatively impacted the socio-economic and sustainable urban development of the country.
He said these issues should be well documented for urgent and collective action.
He, therefore, urged participants to engage in productive discussions, share knowledge, and collaborate on policies and initiatives that would reshape the future of urban planning in Nigeria.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Hon. Dr Abiante Awaji, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, and the President of the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria, among others.
A key moment of the event was the presentation of the final report on the physical development plan for Okitipupa to Governor Aiyedatiwa by the Honourable Minister.
The conference is an annual meeting that brings together senior government officials, academics, practising consultants, and other relevant stakeholders in the town planning profession across Nigeria to foster greater cooperation, collaboration, and mutual benefits in their respective fields.
