Minister charges town planners on urbanisation challenges

The Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has called on members of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP) to tackle the attendant multi-dimensional consequences of rapid urbanisation in most cities across the country.

The minister who made the call in Abuja during the 13th investiture of NITP, FCT chapter, also called on the institute to join the administration in working for improved legislation on physical planning and urban development in support of the regeneration of Nigerian towns and cities.

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Represented by the Director, Urban and Regional Planning, Zalihau Ahmed, the minister used the occasion to reveal that the administration was working, with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), to undertake urban improvement projects in eight satellite towns of the FCT: Jikwoyi, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Dutsen-Alhaji, Abaji, Orozo, Zuba and Kwali.

Aliyu added that the administration was committed to providing increased budgetary allocation to support critical infrastructure development outside the city centre, especially roads and bridges, water supply and sanitation, primary healthcare and renewable energy solutions.

Dr Aliyu said, “The onus is on us to continue to find solutions to the attendant multi-dimensional consequences of rapid urbanisation as we strive to provide liveable spaces both within and outside urban centres.

“To the FCT chapter of NITP, this challenge is even more significant. We are witnessing the evolution of the territory at a breathtaking pace. While we appear to be grappling with finding solutions to the problems of the past, new ones are cropping up almost daily, and we must, as a necessity, be in a position to anticipate future problems and seek solutions to them. This is the charge before the members of the executive.

“The FCT Administration (FCTA) shall be looking forward to working with you to find innovative solutions that guarantee the right development balance between the city centre and the satellite towns and hinterlands. Something must be done urgently to address the challenges of urbanization, especially in the FCT.”

In his inaugural speech, the Chairman of the FCT NITP, Tpl Mustapha Mubdiyu, assured members of the institute that steps would be taken to digitise all records and processes of the chapter in line with global standards, adding that a website design was already underway.