…As Town Planners Call For The Implementation Of Town Planning Law In The Southeast Region
By Tony Adibe
The first Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Dr. Ogbonna Chime, has called for the implementation of regional planning law in the south-east region and some parts of the south-south of the country.
Dr. Chime made the call when he led a team of town planners to the office of the Enugu State Commissioner for Land and Urban Development, Chimaobi Okorie, to inform him of the institute’s forthcoming International Conference, which is scheduled to be held in Enugu.
He stated that the town planning law which was promulgated in 1992 by the then military government is supposed to be domesticated by every state and expressed concern over its non-implementation after several decades.
While emphasizing the need for the law to be operational in the east, the first vice president of the body said the implication of non- implementation of the law is that the 1946 town planning law, which has become old and cannot meet evolving challenges in town planning, will continue to be in use.
On his part, the second Vice President of the Institute, Prof. kingsley Ogboi, said implementing the law would be of great benefit to the people of the region, adding that the implementation is long over-due as it expected of the body to review planning law based on the level of development witnessed so far.
Prof Ogboi, who identified the lack of proper planning of land around and within the settlements of the region as a major challenge of uncontrolled flooding, said if the law is implemented, the institute will have the legal ground to manage water channel activities around waterways and control drainages.
In separate remarks, Chairman of the institute, Enugu state chapter, Charles Ngene, who is the and the Assistant Secretary, Pamela Igweze while speaking on the preparation for the forthcoming international conference, said it’s the first international conference to be held in the state by the body, expressing readiness and optimism for a successful outing.
The conference is expected to gather over seven thousand people from across the country.
