NITP National President’s Visit To Kogi State

The Kogi State Chapter hosted the National President Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde FNITP, from 29th to 31st March 2021 as part of his nationwide tour of State Chapters. He was accompanied by the 1st National Vice-President, Tpl. Nathaniel Atebije FNITP, and the National Secretary, Tpl. Austin Ukanwa FNITP.

The entourage was received on arrival by the State Chapter Chairman, Tpl. Dr Adams Ndalai Baba and other executive members of the Chapter. The team proceeded to pay a courtesy call on Past President Tpl. Isah Ichaba fnitp in his office at Kasuwa Hotel. The President’s assignment continued with a visit to the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation where he was received by the Director General Alh. Hassan Ojo Oyila Ozovehe. The President commended the station on its role in information dissemination while urging him to do more to promote town planning activities in the state. The live discussion programme on Confluence Radio FM 94.1 featured the President, the 1st National President and the State Chapter Chairman with extensive public enlightenment on the need to advance urban planning in the state.

Thereafter the president and his entourage proceeded to the palace of the Maigari of Lokoja Alh. Dr Mohammed-Kabir Maikarfi III. The palace received the president with gladness. The President spoke at length on the role of the traditional council in advancing the course of urban planning in the state. He acknowledged the relevance of the traditional institution in planning advocacy which cascades to the grassroots faster than the current government apparatus. The team was at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja where both Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde and Tpl. Nathaniel Atebije donated books to the Department of Urban and Regional. The Rector thanked the Institute for the courtesy call and the generosity of the national officials. At the town hall meeting which was attended by community leaders, religious leaders, members of allied professions, artisans and representatives of government among others, the State Chapter Chairman Tpl. Dr Adams Baba in his opening remark, thanked all stakeholders present and stated that the nature of urban planning requires constant engagement with stakeholders for citizens to be abreast of current trends and issues as it affect the society and human settlements.

The National President presented a paper titled “The Necessity for Taking Control of the Built Environment”. The paper focused on planning and sustainability, reiterating the issues of planning before development which is lacking in most of our cities. He stated that some of the conditions that necessitates planning include issues of conflicts, congestion, chaos, deplorable environmental conditions, security and safety. At the Bureau of Lands and Urban Development, the National President stressed the need for plan preparation as a condition for heathy and functional urban development while commending the Director General (DG) for initiating the automation of plan processing. He also implored the management of the Bureau to look into the welfare of staff by providing them with a more befitting office accommodation and the right tools for effective performance. The Director General of the Bureau, Hon. Nazir Yusuf Ochi thanked the President for the visit and promised to uplift planning activities in the state.

TPL Edmund C. Nwokaeze MNITP.
National Public Relations Secretary.