On a brand new episode of “Your Neighborhood and You”, a program that aims to educate the public on issues relating to the environment and urban development, a channel for lower socioeconomic status groups to get their voices heard, the program’s host and sponsor, TPL Ogunseyi Ayodele spoke briefly about the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria that killed about 41,000 people, asking that if such a disaster were to happen in Nigeria how prepared are the citizens, especially with the rainy season approaching and, in light of the flooding that occurred in some states of the nation last year, he wanted to discuss as to how prepared the populace would be if it occurred again.
Mr. Nathaniel M. Atebije, the Current President of The Nigerian institute of Town Planners, and also the guest speaker of the edition.
A brief biography of Town planner Nathaniel Atebije, he is an indigene of Kogi State, he started his career as a student of town planning in 1974 at Kaduna Polytechnic, where he distinguished himself as the best student through to the post graduate diploma level. He has a master in environmental planning and protection from University of Abuja. He has traveled to several countries to attend training in planning and urban management. He has gained a lot of professional practice experience in lecturing private practice and public service. He is a registered town planner, a fellow of the institute and author of several academic and research papers and has served in London Institute of Town Planners in various capacities such as Chairman, FCT chapter, national secretary and national vice president before he was elected as the national President in November 2022. He has a peculiar passion for young planners to ensure a brighter future for them through professional excellence and entrepreneurship. He is a mentor to many planners and an amiable guidance and counseling expert. He is married with children.
When asked on how far NITP has gone on the mission to build a Nigeria of our dreams, the president answered that the institute regularly holds national conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, exhibitions, town hall meetings, published publications, and they also go on advocacy visits to the government and the general public about the importance of physical planning for improved living and growth, as well as sustainable development. He added that the institute has been involved in training and capacity building of those involved in planning through the advancement of town planning, education, trainings, research, and practice. The institute offers postgraduate professional diploma programs for those who have not achieved the professional status of practice. After successfully completing their program, they will be awarded certificates that will allow them to gain full membership in the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and eventually become registered town planners. He added that the institute strives to maintain ethical discipline and to enforce a code of professional practice.
When asked if NITP had any solutions or advice for the flood affected states to avoid what happened last year, Mr. Nathaniel, said that, Flooding is generally caused by a lack of proper planning, whether the citizens like it or not, because physical planning guides the location and distribution of land users in a settlement and makes provisions for the installation of infrastructure that will guide the flow of storm water. He added that water science finds its own level, so if nothing is planned, water will flow wherever it will, whenever the volume is greater than what we can control. He said Planning ensures that buildings allocated in places that are straight and not in slope areas, places that will be susceptible to flooding. He said that in a conference he recently held he advised the government to educate the people on the dangers of flooding. He advised the general public that it is critical for us as citizens to avoid dumping solid waste in drainage channels, as this could clog the systems and cause flooding during rainstorms. Also while looking for locations to build houses/infrastructure, he advised that we should also take care of the soft landscape because they also cause erosion where we have vegetation.
TPL Ogunseyi Ayodele asked who was to blame for building collapses caused by flooding, the guest speaker stated that a number of people should be blamed, including stakeholders in the construction industry such as artisans, developers, and the general public who have lost the value of human lives and the government should bear some of the blame because it does not impose harsh penalties on professionals who violate the oath they took to protect the integrity of their professions and the general public. He said a method they adopted in Abuja that reduced the collapsing of buildings drastically is, they appointed a supervising engineer that will be held responsible for any failure, and by which he’ll lose his practicing license.
When asked what the NITP’s capacity was for drawing the public’s attention, particularly that of stakeholders, the government, private sector players, and others, to the reality of the climate change and preventive and adaptive measures that would need to be put in place in the event of similar disasters in Nigeria, the speaker stated that the institute is not unaware of the natural disasters that are now everywhere; he also stated that Planners work to avert disasters right from the pre-disaster stages, and that when Planners conceptualize plans, they ensure that disaster, such as flooding, is taken care of. They ensure that they have a history of flooding from the previous 100 years, as it will guide the placement of projects, programs, and land uses.
When asked what he planned to do differently than his predecessors, the president stated that he would not do anything different than what his predecessors had done, but rather would add to what his predecessors had done, He said that the institute was not going to do things differently, they will add to what their predecessors have started, however, they have been working on a wealth accumulation scheme by creating seminars and workshops in entrepreneurship to assist Planners all over the country to have something to fall back on after retirement. They are also working on reviewing planning law, as they have created a committee on it already.
When asked what his stance was on young planners’ dissatisfaction with the role of NITP leadership in not protecting their interests or being emphatic when it comes to appointment as directors of physical planning in both public and private tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the speaker stated that it was due to misinformation or no information, and that they are constantly fighting for young planners, which is why the current administration’s mantra is “Brighter Future.”
He concluded, “We are conscious of those who will come after us because we must leave a legacy of good living for them.”