Town Planners Tasked on Reckless, Arbitrary Town Development

 Nnaya Eziyi, Umuahia

 

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has been tasked on find lasting solutions to reckless and arbitrary development of towns in the country to avoid the dangers associated with it.

Abia State Lands, Survey and Urban Planning Commissioner, Uche Ihediwa threw the challenge when members of the state chapter of the NITP paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Umuahia, the capital.

He called on the leadership of the chapter to emulate other professions by disciplining their erring members, blaming such members for some of the cases of building collapse in the country.

Ihediwa lauded the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for engaging the United Nations Habitat to prepare Physical Development Master Plans for the major cities of Umuahia, Abia, and Ohafia.

According to him, under his watch, the ministry would continue to cooperate and partner the NITP and to assist it to achieve its successful silver jubilee anniversary slated for March

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the chapter, Elder Nelson Nwosu said it wants to assist the ministry to ensure proper organization and management of the towns to make them habitable and economically viable.

He commended the governor for remerging the ministry and the Ministry of Physical Planning to introduce checks and balances as well as sanity and environmental management.

Similarly, former Rector, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Dr. Chijioke Odimuko, lauded Ihediwa for turning the ministry around, stressing the importance of Urban and Physical Planning for positive development.