By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu has called on members of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP) to tackle the attendant multi-dimensional consequences of rapid urbanisation in most cities across the country.
She disclosed this in Abuja during the 13th investiture of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners, FCT Chapter, with a call on the institute to join the Administration in working for improved legislation on physical planning and urban development in support of the regeneration of Nigerian towns and cities.
The minister who was represented by the Director, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Zalihau Ahmed, she said the current administration is working with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), to undertake urban improvement projects in eight satellite towns of Jikwoyi, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Dutsen-Alhaji, Abaji, Orozo, Zuba, and Kwali.
Aliyu added that the Administration was committed to providing increased budgetary allocation to support critical infrastructure development outside the city centre, especially roads and bridges, water supply and sanitation, primary healthcare and renewable energy solutions, amongst others.
The Minister, in a statement on Sunday by her Special Assistant Media Austine Elemue, said: “The onus is on us to continue to find solutions to the attendant multi-dimensional consequences of rapid urbanisation as we strive to provide liveable spaces both within and outside urban centres.
“To the FCT Chapter of the NITP, this challenge is even more significant. We are witnessing the evolution of the territory at a breath-taking pace. While we appear to be grappling with finding solutions to the problems of the past, new ones are cropping up almost daily and we must, as a necessity, be in a position to anticipate future problems and seek solutions to them. This is the charge before the members of the Executive.
”The FCT Administration shall be looking forward to working with you to find innovative solutions that guarantee the right development balance between the city centre and the satellite towns and hinterlands. Something must be done urgently to address the challenges of urbanisation especially in the Federal Capital Territory”.
Chairman, Tpl. Mustapha Mubdiyu, assured members of the institute that steps would be taken to digitize all records and processes of the chapter in line with global standards, adding that a website design was already underway.
While thanking the past leaderships of the chapter for laying the foundation on which to build, Mubdiyu further assured that his leadership would embark on capacity building and development for members especially in areas of best practices and standards.
