World Town Planning Day: NITP Urges Kogi Govt. to prioritise physical planning for sustainable development
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Kogi State Chapter, has called on governments at all levels to prioritise effective physical planning as a foundation for sustainable development, economic growth and improved living conditions.
The Chairman of the Institute, Tpl. Sani Daniel, FNITP, made the call in Lokoja during activities marking the 2026 World Town Planning Day, celebrated annually on November 8, with the theme, “Great Communities Are Built on Planning.”
Daniel said well-developed communities do not emerge by chance but are products of deliberate planning, responsible leadership, effective institutions and collective commitment.
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He explained that physical planning goes beyond the construction of roads and buildings to encompass adequate housing, healthcare facilities, schools, transportation networks, drainage systems, recreational spaces and environmental protection.
The NITP chairman expressed concern over the increasing rate of uncoordinated physical development in several parts of Kogi State, particularly Lokoja, Anyigba, Okene, Kabba, Ankpa, Ajaokuta and Obajana.
He noted that many settlements across the state lack updated and functional master plans to guide their growth, resulting in infrastructure deficits, indiscriminate development, environmental degradation and encroachment on road reservations.
Daniel consequently urged the Kogi State Government to prioritise the preparation and review of master plans for Lokoja and other rapidly growing urban centres.
He stressed that planning must precede development, noting that the cost of preparing and implementing physical development plans is considerably lower than the financial and environmental costs of correcting the consequences of unplanned growth.
The institute also advocated stronger planning institutions, effective enforcement of development control regulations, adequate funding and the adoption of modern technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to improve urban management.
On environmental sustainability, Daniel called on the government and residents to protect floodplains, waterways, drainage corridors, green spaces and other environmentally sensitive areas from indiscriminate development.
He further emphasised the need to integrate industrial expansion and population growth into infrastructure planning, particularly in emerging industrial centres such as Obajana and Ajaokuta.
While commending the Kogi State Government for efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for physical planning and development management, the NITP chairman called for sustained political commitment to the implementation of relevant policies.
He also urged property owners, developers, traditional institutions and community leaders to promote orderly development by complying with approved physical development plans and relevant planning regulations.
Daniel reaffirmed the commitment of the NITP Kogi State Chapter to collaborating with government, development partners and other stakeholders in advancing sustainable urban and rural development.
He maintained that great communities are not built by chance but through vision, deliberate planning, effective implementation and collective responsibility.
The chairman called on all stakeholders to embrace physical planning as a shared responsibility towards building a more prosperous, inclusive and environmentally sustainable Kogi State.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper November 9th, 2026
