By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives has advocated the implementation of integrated and sustainable urban physical development and planning across the states of the federation.
This was sequal to a motion on the floor of the House by Hon. Philip Agbese, who noted that Urban Development and Physical Planning are modern strategies aimed at creating sustainable, resilient settlements that correspond with the local situation.
While explaining that half of Nigeria’s population live in overpopulated urban centres due to heavy rural-urban migration, with slums that don’t meet modern urban settlement standards, the lawmaker further ibserved that “most Nigerian cities lack standard master plan, and when they do, they are done in isolation without considering their effects on the neighbouring states.”
The House also observed that “the cities have deviated from the original master plans where residential areas are being converted to industrial and commercial purposes without proper environmental impact assessment to ascertain the hazards and ways to mitigate them,” which had made most cities become slums, thus serving as breeding grounds and safe havens for criminals.
“The House is cognizant that climate change, particularly global warming and its attendant effects, has devastated states across the nation and will be more severe if an integrated approach to urban and physical planning is not implemented,” he said.
In it’s resolve, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to collaborate with state governments’ Urban Development Departments to carry out a comprehensive integrated urban development master plan.
It further mandated the Committee on Urban Development and Physical Planning to ensure Compliance and file their report within four weeks.
