The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has called on the Anambra State Government to urgently formulate a comprehensive Urban and Regional Development Plan for the entire state, alongside detailed master plans for major urban centers.
The Institute also emphasized the need to recruit and train more professional town planners to manage the state’s fast-growing urbanization and avert a looming land and infrastructure crisis.
The call was made by the National President of NITP, Tpl. Dr. Ogbonna Chime, during the opening ceremony of the 26th Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme (MCPDP), jointly hosted by the NITP and the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC). The two-day event, themed “Developing New Frontiers for Improved Physical Planning Practice in Nigeria,” was held in Awka, Anambra State.
Dr. Chime expressed concern over the limited number of town planners employed by the Anambra State Government, despite the state’s rapid urban growth. He warned that Anambra is on the verge of becoming a “one-city state,” where urban sprawl and poor land management could trigger widespread socio-economic and environmental issues if not urgently addressed.
“Anambra is gradually becoming like Lagos, where it’s difficult to distinguish one community from another due to rapid urban expansion,” Chime said. “But unlike Lagos, Anambra lacks the institutional planning frameworks to manage such growth.”
He urged the state to fully implement the 1992 Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law, describing it as a key solution for sustainable urban development. Chime cited Lagos as a success story for its early domestication of the law, which enabled it to effectively manage urban pressures and prevent the proliferation of slums.
“Without proper planning and adequate staffing of professional town planners, Anambra will face significant challenges,” he warned. “Now is the time to invest in training planners and encouraging young people to study Urban and Regional Planning, so we’re not caught unprepared in the near future.”
Chime also advocated for stronger collaboration between the government and traditional institutions to prevent potential land-related conflicts.
Representing Governor Chukwuma Soludo at the event, Anambra State Commissioner for Lands, Prof. Offornze Amucheazi, pledged the state government’s continued collaboration with urban planning professionals. He emphasized the central role of town planners in the administration’s developmental agenda.
“Urban regeneration projects and the planned development of new cities in Awka and Onitsha cannot succeed without the expertise of town planners,” Amucheazi stated. “Though there’s currently an employment embargo, once lifted, more town planners will be engaged.”
He highlighted the state’s ongoing projects such as the Anambra Geographic Information System (ANAMGIS), which supports Governor Soludo’s vision of a liveable, prosperous, and well-organized state.
Dr. Meshach Ojile from Niger Delta University presented a paper on the importance of environmental compliance in the oil and gas industry, urging planners to adopt best practices, especially regarding Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) for major projects.
Tpl. Dr. Daniel Adamu of Nasarawa State University stressed the need for synergy between government agencies and political leadership to enhance project delivery. He described inter-agency collaboration not as a sign of weakness, but as a strategic necessity for effective governance.