ATOPCON urges time management for projects cost reduction, delivery

Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON) has urged professionals to embrace effective time management in order to be able to not only deliver their projects, but also to do so at reduced cost.

The association has also harped on the need to deliver projects making effective use of management tools, techniques and technologies which in turn contribute immensely to the development of society.

At a workshop organised by the association in Lagos recently, Lambert Ofoegbu, principal partner, Urban Foresight Enterprises, said “effective time management is essential for any town planning consultant as it cuts project cost and hastens scheme delivery”.

According to him, the importance of effective time management is not limited to timely project delivery, but also boosts individual growth as a professional, organisational growth and encourages sustainable decision making.

This view was corroborated by Moses Ogunleye, president, ATOPCON, who emphasised that effective time management remains a critical element for any project to be successfully managed because “time is a scarce resource; we cannot but be quick-witted in managing our time”.

He added, “This becomes relevant in view of turbulent and highly unpredictable environment in which consultants operate in Nigeria with complexities such as numerous meetings, report preparations, conflict resolution, negotiation, communication management and risk assessment.”

Effective time management, he said, remains a critical element for any project to be successfully managed, advising that professionals need to address the issue of ‘time robbers’ such as uninvited guests at official hours and try harder to reduce these distractions.

Bisi Adedire, chairman, ATOPCON, Lagos State chapter, in his remarks, stressed that time was a crucial element for any town planning consultant, noting that the ability to manage time effectively was the anchor on which money hung.

“Evidently, most of us crave for more projects to be handled by our firms but we have not really considered critically the way we handle our present project in relation to time,” he said.

By: ODINAKA MBONU