Stakeholders in the building industry have been told to take the issues of the environment seriously.
The National President of the Nigerian Institute of town planners, Town planner Olutoyin Ayinde made the call at the National president stakeholders town hall meeting of the organization in Lokoja.
Mr Ayinde who is a former commissioner of physical development in Lagos State under the then Governor Raji Fashola administration, said the issue of a well planned environment should not be left in the hands of town planners alone but all and sundry including Traditional rulers, religious leaders and others
According to him, planning is a process about what the future would look like saying it’s the total vission of the people.
Ayinde who said planning and sustainability matter a lot in human settlements stressed that planning must precede physical development.
The National president explained that the illegal planning was responsible for the unhealthy environmental conditions “we find in some of our cities today.
He urged professionals to wake up to their responsibility of ensuring effective and sustainable planning.
The National president said one of the reasons for his first visit to the state is becouse of the tourism potentials of the state and called for citizens participation in all planning processes to ensure inclusiveness.
Also speaking, the first National Vice President of the body, Town planner Nathaniel Atebije described Lokoja as a jungle because it’s master plan is not backed by law saying this makes enforcement difficult.
Earlier the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian institute of town planners Town planner Baba Adams Ndalaye said the National president is on a Nationwide tour and chose to start from kogi because of its unigue position in the country.
According to him the event is also interactive towards effective planning for a better development in Kogi and its environments.