Physical Planning: LASG to partner NITP for sustainable smart city goal
By Moses Adeniyi
The Lagos State Government (LASG) has declared its readiness to partner the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) towards realising the vision of making Lagos a sustainable smart city of choice.
The State’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, who gave the assurance during a courtesy call of a NITP team on the Ministry, stated that the State Government cherished the input and support of professional bodies.
According to Salako, collaborative efforts were required to attain a “livable, organised, orderly and sustainable physical environment in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.”
He said that in upholding the essence and ethics of the Town Planning profession, the Ministry which he oversees, has evolved a smarter vision and mission as well as other meaningful reforms, such as the ongoing digitisation of its processes, to optimise its services to the people.
“As ambassadors of the profession, we in the Ministry have been keeping the flag flying while latching on the impetus privided by the Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy pillar of the State Government agenda to do more and produce actions that benefit the State,” he said.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Ganiyu Adele, urged the institute to work closely with the Government to resolve challenge of planning having to chase development against the other way round.
He emphasised that all professional bodies must unite and cooperate with the State Government to ensure the sanctity of planning.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engr. Abiola Kosegbe, urged the Institute to help spearhead a mindset change among its members, who were supposed to provide solutions to the society.
In his comments, the NITP national President, Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde who led the team, said that the essence of the visit was to assess the state of physical planning in Lagos and feel the pulse of members of the institute in the State Chapter.
Maintaining that Town Planning is key to governance, he called for a paradigm shift in the approach to planning in order to bequeath a livable and sustainable built environment.
“We must realise that to achieve a sustainable environment, planning is uncompromisable. We must begin to think about planning for the future and planning for all,” he said.
