In a brand new episode of “YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU”, a program dedicated to empowering and equipping the populace with vital information and knowledge bothering on the environment, town planning, land use, surveying and all land related issues, played host to heavy weights and forces in the industry in persons of TPL. Dr. Adekemi Olusa and TPL. Shogbon Odunwale.
Dr. Mrs Adekemi who was in Abuja to attend Association of Women Town Planners of Nigeria AGM alongside NITP 53rd national conference and annual general meeting, said that female town planners play similar roles as the male counterparts in the industry and there is no rivalry whatsoever.
She said “by way of introduction, AWTPN is Association of Women Town Planners in Nigeria and it’s an arm of NITP. Which means that every member of AWTPN is first of all a town planner and part of NITP before AWTPN. Town planning is a team work and during the course of our training, gender was not separated. We all attended the same lectures; practical classes and we do everything together as a team. So, we only have women as a group to compliment the effort of the male town planners, we are not in rivalry of any form.”
She harped on the significant impact of women in environmental related issues as women by default stay close to the environment and are best placed to proffer solutions to lingering environmental issues as women and children bear the brunt of environmental mishap more.
She said “women are closer to the environment because they stay more at home, we are more clam when it comes to environmental issues, we understand our environment better, so because of that, we know what operates or what happen in the environment better than the men.” She stressed that if any issues come up in the environment, women town planners should be involved because they’re better placed to understand and proffer solutions to the issues.
She gave instances of environmental issues like flood, waste management, sea trading and the likes that has direct effect on the women more and women should be at the forefront actively contributing to its solution.
Joining the conversation is Tpl. Shogbon Odunwale, summarized the 53rd national conference and annual general meeting of NITP held in Abuja and critical discussions on urban development policy and smart city in respect to Igbopa master plan in lagos, waste management and urban regeneration in respect to urban water supply and sanitation in Taraba state and also public space in respect of thick beach in Kaduna state.
Tpl. Shogbon said “the theme of the conference was physical planning and urban security in Nigeria, if you look around us globally, you will discover that the issue of insecurity is an international discuss that has come up as a result of insurgency, banditry and all other related crimes that is ravaging the world.”
He said the conference was to look for a possible means of mitigating against the problems through physical planning. He said the Igbopa in lagos is a project that has taken time under measurement and study so as to look at the impact of soil exchange and how to resolve the problem.
He stressed further that Ondo state is gradually facing the realities of life like other states have faced or are facing. He said “the issue of urban hill island has come to reality and it’s a project that is under study. Some scholars in urban and regional planning are currently undertaking issues on urban hill island and of course, when you talk about urban hill island, it’s a situation where the core area of that metropolis is higher than the relative surrounding areas. This can be controlled through physical planning measures.” He went on to say that the issue of flooding can be controlled by physical planning measures through a simple design.
On the insecurity aspect of it which was the central theme of the conference and how to solve the problem, he said “insecurity is a thing of feeling unsecured, lack of confidence, where there is anxiety and worry. You can also look at it as a state of being open to dangers and threat. Obviously, the whole world is open to dangers and threats of different dimensions beyond banditry and the likes. The natural disasters are also threats, they are threat to life, livelihood and sustainability.”
“We can use planning measures and strategy, urban design to contain the issues of flooding, threat and insecurity we are talking about. That is what Ondo state stand to gain and let me tell you, the conference was an international conference where we had participants from all spheres of the world, their contributions will be an addition to what we have before in improving physical planning in ondo state.”
Exploring further, the sponsor asked “yesterday, Tpl. Mariam Ologun that’s the chairman of NITP ondo state made mention of slum and urban security that you mentioned and said example of slum area in Ondo state are Odopetu and Iloro, thereafter she made mention of how to solve it by government, public and planners, do you have something to talk about this sir?”
Connecting the menace of slums to insecurity, Tpl. Shogbon said that slums are typical habitat for criminals to dwell which is making it difficult for security personnel to do their jobs as they avoid going to slum areas as it is an abode of hoodlums. He further linked slums to urban insecurity as most residents in slums feel marginalized and has nothing to lose when they involve in crime.
He urged that the slums should be improved upon by introducing an integrated development plan that will enhance all the slum areas, making it a beautiful place to dwell and in doing so ensure to provide security along the development plan to contain the issues of insecurity in settlements.
On her own part, Tpl. Dr Adekemi said we should be cautious of the fact that whatever happens in our environments affects everyone of us irrespective of gender and by having that consciousness, we will be able to choose our environment better.
She noted that most environmental issues we have are man induced and urged that if we can live responsibly, our environment will be a better place for us all. She also noted that our responsibility to the environment lies in the hands of us all, from government to private citizen.
Throwing more light on how Ondo state can benefit from the 53rd annual conference, Tpl. Shogbon said the riverine area is an area of threat. He said the only thing the government can implement from all the conferences, seminars and the likes is that the state government must embark on waterfront development, a regional development plan of that area, affected settlement must be regrouped and taken care of.
He stressed further on the importance of getting the communique to the table of the state governor and also advise them on the best way to go in addressing the problems of the coastal area by preparing a waterfront development plan which will serve as a guide and control the problems at hand.
The issue of CofO as a prerequisite for development permit in Ondo State was raised and Tpl. Shogbon was quick to label it as ‘scandal’ and morally wrong as it will lead to more chaos in development.
Chipping in, Dr Adekemi also air her opposition and stated that CofO should not be a prerequisite to get development permit and she urge the Ondo government to have a rethink.