Prominent urban planner and member of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planning (NITP), Emmanuel Ikechukwu, has expressed serious concern over the state of physical planning in River State.
Ikechukwu, in a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday, called on the State government to prioritize physical planning and development as a matter of utmost urgency.
He urged the state to tap into the potentials of the Town Planning profession to address global challenges associated with rapid urbanization and ensure a better quality of life for all its residents.
“It is high time Rivers State recognized that effective physical planning is not a luxury but an absolute necessity for the sustainable growth and development of the region”, he said.
Ikechukwu highlighted the historical neglect and lack of awareness surrounding the importance of physical planning in the state, emphasizing the dire consequences this negligence has had on the well-being of its citizens.
Ikechukwu traced the origin of the issue back to the early seventies when there was a growing awareness of the need for comprehensive planning.
He noted that during this period, the state government initiated the development of master plans and physical plans for settlements.
“However, despite these efforts, the lack of political will and funding led to these plans gathering dust on government office shelves, never seeing the light of implementation”, he said.
He pointed out that this persistent lack of commitment to effective physical planning has significantly contributed to the poor state of human settlements in the State today.
“Even the River State Physical Planning and Development Law of 2003, which was signed into law by then-Governor Sir Dr. Peter Odili, remains largely unimplemented 20 years later.
“This lack of enforcement reflects the government’s limited belief in the importance of physical planning to the overall well-being of its citizens”, he said.””Ikechukwu emphasized that the situation in Port Harcourt and Rivers State as a whole requires nothing short of a state of emergency declaration.
“Instead of appreciating and coordinating land use activities, the region is plagued by the consequences of inadequate physical planning. These manifest in various ways, including poorly-sited projects, narrow streets, dysfunctional infrastructure, building collapses, unplanned settlements, avoidable flooding, and other disasters, all of which lead to stressful living conditions and a high mortality rate”, he noted.
He posed the critical question of why the number one priority for development has been relegated to the background.
“Is it a deliberate ploy or a lack of political will to improve the well-being of the state’s inhabitants through effective planning and physical development activities capable of transforming the social, physical, and economic fortunes of the state?”, he queried.
Ikechukwu also expressed surprise at the ignorance surrounding the physical planning profession in the State, even among the educated elite.
He highlighted the absurdity of hearing the term “urban renewal” being misconstrued as referring to funerals that have been expanded, emphasizing the urgent need for awareness and education in this vital field.