The Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Edo State Chapter, Mr Inanigie Abudu Udukhomho, has called on developers and other stakeholders in the built environment to always seek inputs from town planners in developing layouts and estates.
He said lack of professional input into the sector has led to haphazard developments in the state.
He decried that most new layouts and estates are not registered by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development as a result of the unprofessional way the built sector is handled in the state.
He stressed the need for proper coordination of all projects to ensure they follow the standard as stipulated by regulating authorities.
Speaking during his inauguration, he called on other professional bodies in land development to work together to avoid frequent building collapse.
Inanigie said the body would ensure public enlightenment, advocacy and community meetings in local governments to educate people on the need to partner with Physical Planning and Urban Development to strengthen the built environment.
He urged members of the public to ensure the land they are acquiring is genuine by meeting the community heads for confirmation, saying it is the land document they will use to process building plan approval and other development plans.
Inanigie is a retired director in the Edo State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.