Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Abuja chapter has sworn in Mr Garba Jibril as its new chairman.
The new chairman expressed concern that over 90 percent of the cities in Nigeria lack proper master plan and most of them were developed without any such plan.
He said state governments do not abide by the provisions of the urban regional planning law, a development that results in unplanned state capitals and said it is a challenge to town planners across the country.
He urged state governments to obey the urban planning laws.
The town planner said, “The challenge we have is that in cities outside Abuja, in fact, in the whole of Nigeria, we have less than 10 percent of Nigerian cities that have master plan. They lack proper guidance for the implementation of physical planning development.
“We have less than 10 percent of them that have a master plan and that is a major challenge for us. Most of the state capitals don’t abide by the provisions of the Urban Regional Planning Law. They give no regard to this law and this is unfortunate.”
He added, “Most of the politicians in these states have no regard for that law. They don’t involve planners in the development of their states.
“So also the followers; people just buy land and start developing it without following due process and this is why we have challenges such as flooding.” DT
