The Nigerian Institute of Town Planers, has urged the National Assembly to amend the Urban and Regional Planning Act to meet current realities.
The President of the institute, Mr Nathaniel Atebije said this when he visited on Rep. Awaji-inombek Abiante, the Chairman, House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planing in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that there was need to update the Act to meet current demands and to move urban planing matters to the concurrent list.
“Present a bill to amend areas of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law that do not have sufficient provisions for effective enforcement.
“This is to make the law more contemporary, particularly with the possibility of putting physical planning matters on the concurrent list in the Constitution.
“Set up structures particularly, National Urban and Regional Planning Commission to provide and implement national and regional development plans with a view to harmonising and efficiently harness resources of each geo-political zone and a national development framework.
“Amend the law that established the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria with a view to addressing the lacuna which some members of the council are taking undue and dangerous advantage of, to abuse the spirit and purpose of the law,” he said.
He tasked the committee to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to facilitate the completion and adoption of the Revised National Urban Development Policy.
Atebije said that the committee should also make move for the adoption of the National Physical Planning Standards which the ministry and other stakeholders had been working on for the past two years.
He tasked the committee to create enabling environment for implementing the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law to guide physical development.
The president recommended setting up relevant institutions at all levels of government to effectively implement across the country and facilitate massive recruitment of professional town planners to meet up with the glaring deficit.
“Facilitate and make sufficient budgetary provisions for urgent and rigorous capacity building for town planners already in establishment of public service to aid the performance of their jobs,” he said.
The president announced October 24 as the date for the 2023 annual national conference of the institute which will hold on Asaba, urging the legislators and general to attend.
Responding, Abiante said that the committee was willing to collaborate with the institute to ensure urban development in the country.
He said that the job of the institute and town planners was so important to the security of the country and would also ensure effective emergency responses.
The chairman said that as lawmakers, they were elected to ensure security of lives and property through lawmaking and representation adding that their doors were always open.
Abiante pledged the committee’s commitment to amendment of laws and making of new laws for effective urban planing.
He, however, charged the institute to make a proper presentation to the committee and also seek the input of other stakeholders in the process for easy implementation of the laws.
NAN
