House C’ttee Reiterates Need to Build National Consensus on Urban Devt, Physical Planning
The House of Representatives Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, has reiterated need to build national consensus on implementation of integrated and sustainable Urban Development and Physical Planning across the States, as part of National agenda on its development.
Chairman of the Committee, Awaji Inombek D Abiante, stated this at the Committee meeting with relevant stakeholders on ‘Implementation of Integrated and Sustainable Urban Development and Physical Planning across the States of the Federation,’ at the National Assembly, Abuja on Tuesday.
At the meeting attended by Commissioners from States of the Federation, Directors,
Head of Agencies, States Surveyors-General andProfessional/Regulatory bodies, Abiante welcomed all stakeholders to the meeting saying; “Indeed, we need to build a national consensus on implementation of integrated and sustainable Urban Development and Physical Planning across the States.
“These will be part of our national agenda on Urban and Regional Development, by recognizing positive link between urbanization and development.”
He further stressed: “With the Phenomenal rate of urbanization in Nigeria over the past decades, we cannot afford to be complacent anymore, about the vast opportunities which our cities provide for accelerated national transformation, through building of integrated and productive communities.
“We cannot however, maximize opportunities in sustained transformation of our cities, if the fundamentals are not addressed.
“The urban poor and other vulnerable groups in our cities require more care and attention, especially in the provision of affordable and adequate housing, and other social amenities for improved life quality.
“We need to ensure that proper planning and utilization of our territorial spaces, before they degenerate into slumps and inhabitable human settlements.
“This requires, taking holistic and futuristic view of planning, rather than the myopic planning for today, only.
“Fortunately, many of these new directions are already part of our National agenda on urban development, which we are committed to implementing with all key stakeholders in Housing and Urban development sector through instrumentality of approved, National Housing and Urban Development Policies, by Government.
“Certainly, we cannot accomplish the objective of rapidly, transforming our cities without support and active involvement of other tiers of Government.
“The salutary efforts of our State Governments in promoting the urban agenda, through the development of new towns and implementation of urban renewal and slum, upgrading schemes.
“I also, commend other stakeholders in the built environment, including development partners, for complementing us in our drive to uplift the status of our cities for sustainable livelihoods.
In my view, the best way to implement and integrate sustainable urban development is for us, to enlist in the growing army of city changers across the world.
“This is what I seek from you all, on this occasion, and l believe I have your concurrence,” he added.
Source: The Daily Times
