YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU: A program sponsored by sustainable design consult dedicated to enlighten listeners to know about the environment, the right of a citizen living in an environment, environmental hazards and things needed to be done to prevent hazards from happening.
On a new episode of the program, The host Comfort Omolafe will be reading out some questions asked by the people from the sponsor of the program Tpl. Ogunseyi Ayodele on Physical planning law.
What is Development control?
TPL Ogunseyi Ayodele said Development control means the process of managing or regulating the carrying out of any works on land or making of any material change in the use of any land or structures and it also ensure that operations on land conform to spatial development plans as well as policy guidelines, regulations and standards issued by the planning authority from time to time in order to achieve a purposeful utilization of land in the interest of the general welfare of the public. i.e the process of controlling the activities or the uses of land.
Mr. Tunde from Akure asked on why Government officials only go after the “not so rich” people in the town. He asked why can’t Government officials go after the rich people in Alagbaka with illegal properties? He used the case of auto mart area as example.
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said it’s better to set the record straight that government officials are not looking at faces or status before they do their work, He said We don’t need to put it as if it easier for government officials to take on poor and allow rich to get away with their environmental crime. He said The said Auto mart area Mr. Tunde made mentioned is not even for the poor by all definitions, He said he went to the place and the least value of the house demolished there is over 10m and if we were to add the cost of land to it, the cost will be at neighborhood of 15m. He said we can’t refer the people in this area to as poor with the calculations. TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said what happened behind auto mart is wrong and it is wrong because people built on industrial layout (government acquisition). He continued by saying because government officials were not there to stop your construction doesn’t mean the people are not going to pay for that painful and costly error one day. He said he is 100% sure that Ministry of physical planning and urban development presence is more pronounced in Alagbaka area compared to place like Igoba and even the auto mart area.
What happen to some people (behind that auto mart) that have approved development permits behind auto mart and Government still went ahead to demolish their properties?
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said he believes that those development permits flying around in respect of demolished buildings behind auto mart are not from Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, he said it is most likely to be fake. He said he won’t like to say much on it because the case is still in court The case is in court. The Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigerian Institution of Surveyors all these bodies of Ondo State Chapter and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development are presently in court. He said they caught a suspect who did fake development permits, fake survey plan, all with fake government stamps for some people behind auto mart and they are waiting for court verdict on the issue.
Mr. John asked if it is right to turn a rented residential apartment into a worship center?
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said it is absolutely wrong to do such a thing. He said he is a Christian and he is not against the work of God but citing church in a residential use is wrong. He continued by saying there must be a permit before it can be allowed and the community must give their consent (in form of letter) to this. TPL. Ogunseyi said in every layout plan, there will be a place where POW (Place of Worship) will appear and in a place that where POW is not being planned for, there will be a processing to get one there. He said he will like to advise all the spiritual leaders – church or mosque to get a Town Planner in their building committee and if they don’t have one as a member, they can engage one as a consultant. If in case an individual is facing disturbance from a church within your neighborhood, he/she can call a Registered town planner and the Town planner can take it up for them.
Adewale from Ijoka asked on what can be done If government officials unjustly demolish someone property?
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said he does not understand the meaning of his word “unjustly demolished”. He said what seems to be unjust to him may actually justified. Nevertheless, no government official will demolish your property without prior notices, From demand notice to stop work notice to contravention notice to demolition notice. He said the situation at hand and gravity of your offence will determine what notice to be served and in summary, Government will notify the person before any demolition.
Mrs. Iyabo Ogundele from Owo asked on the average assessment to pay into government account when someone is applying for development permit?
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele answered by saying there is no average assessment. He said the size of your proposed building will determine the assessment to be paid. The length, the breath and height of your proposed building, He said uses and location is also a determinant.
Why is government officials asking for processing fees?
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said Government officials can never ask anyone for any processing fees after paying for your assessment. Government official don’t run processing for any applicant, He said it’s a Consultant to the Ministry of physical planning and urban development that does that. He said he will like to inform the people that if they want to process their development permit they should call a registered Town planner who is practicing. He said God’s grace by the end of the month of October, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners website will be on and the Institute will make the site known to all our people in Ondo State and beyond and at a click then, people will see all the consultants in Ondo state But in the meantime, they can check the Institute @ NITP house behind Civil defense office Alagbaka … they will get details of consultants.
TPL. Ogunseyi Ayodele said he will like to tell the people to make use of Town planners for any issue related to environment. In all building committees in church, landlord association, mosques, markets, social association and so on like that, He said having a Town Planner to guide them will reduce unnecessary headaches in term of your wellbeing and your environment.