Stakeholders in Bayelsa State’s physical planning and built environment have agreed on stringent measures to be taken in order to curb flooding and building collapse in the state.
The stakeholders who brainstormed during a 3-day physical planning and development summit organised by the Physical Planning and Development Board in Yenagoa, urged the board to carry out the enforcement of development control objectively without sparing anybody.
The summit with the theme: “Physical Planning and Development in Bayelsa State: The Way Forward” was organised to proffer solutions to flooding and building collapse due to the development of structures in unapproved areas.
Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri, while declaring open the summit, gave the board marching orders to enforce extant laws and policies to ensure proper development control in Yenagoa and other parts of the state.
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He charged the board to wield its stick on any government official, including himself, that violates the building laws and regulations of the state.
The governor who was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, however, urged the board to carry out the enforcement objectively.
He observed that the haphazard development pattern in the state capital was a result of impunity by land sellers and developers as well as a lack of political will on the part of the government to enforce the laws.
He said: “This government is giving the Physical Planning and Development Board the marching order that after these three days’ summit, they should rise to the occasion. That means there should be no sacred cow in the demolition of illegal buildings in the state capital.
“What we are suffering from as a government is the leniency and unwillingness of government. Political will has been in short supply in terms of the enforcement of physical planning laws. But I can assure you that under the present administration, the political will to enforce these laws will come into full force.
“Government has the major share of the blame as far as implementation of the master plan and the current state of Bayelsa and Yenagoa in terms of development is concerned. So, we take full responsibility for the failure in the implementation of the master plan.
“But we are determined to change the narrative. As far as I am concerned, this summit will be an exercise of self-entertainment and waste of energy, if we do not change the position of government towards enforcement.”
Delivering a keynote address titled “The Role of Master-planning in Bayelsa State as a Tool for Sustainable Development, Mr Harcourt Adukeh expressed concern that successive administrations have not been able to implement the Yenagoa Master plan.
Mr Adukeh, who is a renowned architect, noted that the master plan was published in 2000, aiming at achieving economic and demographic growth of Yenagoa as well as promoting a green and beautiful capital city.
He said the plan was also designed to increase the supply of affordable housing by at least 5000 new homes between 2003 and 2008 in addition to improving the quality of residential areas.
The executive chairman of the state Physical Planning and Development Board, Chief Gideon Ekeowei, said the summit was put together for all relevant stakeholders and sectors of the society to proffer better and sustainable ideas on building and development control.
