NITP LAUDS AMMC COORDINATOR; APPEALS FOR SAFETY OF TOWN PLANNERS/SITE OFFICERS

By: Tera Peter, Keyinde Osigwe & Ameachi Paul.

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners – NITP, Abuja Chapter, has appealed for quick interventional measures to safeguard the security of Town Planners and Site Officers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Chairman of the NITP, TPL Queen Phillips, made the appeal when she led executive members of the association on a courtesy visit to the Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Hon Felix Amechi Obuah, in his office, AMMC Headquarters, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.

Tpl Phillips drew the attention of the coordinator to the incessant attacks on town planners while carrying out their statutory duties.

In her words: “In particular, we draw your attention to the disturbing trend of incessant attacks on Town Planners while carrying out their statutory duties. This situation undermines effective urban management and poses serious risks to the lives of professionals committed to implementing Planning Regulations. We appeal for intervention and leadership in ensuring that adequate measures are taken to safeguard their security and uphold the rule of law”.

The visit, which is part of NITP’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders within the FCT, is aimed at strengthening the collaborative relationship between AMMC and NITP, as well as acknowledging the role AMMC plays in the physical development and management of the FCT, as a key stakeholder in Urban development.

She expressed the appreciation of NITP to the Coordinator of AMMC, for his unwavering support and consistent engagement with the Chapter, particularly, in the mobilization and encouragement of Town Planners under his leadership, which has contributed immensely to the advancement of good Urban governance.

Responding, the Coordinator of AMMC, Obuah, thanked the EXCO for their visit and assured them of his continued support to Town Planners.

His words: ” Before now, I have worked with so many of your members and have never deprived any one of them from attending professional courses or any training they wish to attend. I have also attended many professional courses while I am here, and also approving many others for your members here – because with every experience you will gather, you will come back and impart it on us.

“I am not a Town Planner by profession, but by induction, and association, and learning by association is one of the greatest ways of learning, so I have learned so much about your profession within this period. I also emphasize that professionals should handle professional areas so that as they retire, doors will open for more professionals. So, anything we can do to assist members here, just be rest assured that I will stop at nothing to do my best”.

On his part, the Director of Development Control, TPL Muktar Galidima, said that AMMC has been doing very much for the practice of Town Planning in FCT and Nigeria as a whole by way of supporting their staff internally and externally – as the coordinator and his team have never left any stone unturned to see that the welfare of staff is enhanced.

His words: “In every job, there are risks, so also is the Town Planning profession. I think that when it comes to enforcement of Planning Regulations, there are instances that our staff are assaulted, but the Council has done everything possible to see how those things are being managed. In fact, recently, the Council has put up some policies as regards to ensuring that these things don’t happen, one of such is consultation and sensitization – with all sense of modesty, and without mincing words, the coordinator has brought a lot of ideas and wisdom as regarding our welfare. On this table, issues that have lingered for than 15 – 20 years, were resolved, one of such is Apo Mechanics, which finally has a headway to resolving the crisis through the efforts of the AMMC Coordinator.

So now, it is a policy that whenever there’s going to be an enforcement, stakeholders must be involved, including the people that are going to be affected by the enforcement. Often times when you hear about aggression during enforcement, it is due to improper awareness creation, therefore, any enforcement exercise going beyond Ring Road 1, a taskforce must be involved to ensure that attackers are subdued for the safety of site officers”,

Others present during the visit are some top Management staff of the Council.