Town planners seek indigenous research model for local challenges

Town planners under the auspices of the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Lagos State chapter, have frowned upon the reliance on indigenous information supplied by foreigners to tackle the local planning challenges in the country.

The planning consultants also condemned the adoption of foreign approaches to mitigate local challenges, saying it was an anomaly because foreign methods should just be a guide.

According to them, it is pertinent that Nigerian researchers are encouraged to carry out research as this would help comprehend indigenous challenges better and evolve local approaches that best remedy them.

Adebisi Adedire, chairman, ATOPCON, Lagos State branch, at the first annual general meeting of the association held in Lagos recently, suggested that institutions of learning and students could carry out research to enable current information on particular situations become documented as this would spur planning interventions to be proactive rather than remedial.

The association also pledged to continue its unwavering support to the Young Planners Forum, saying it was impressed with the zeal shown by the younger planners, encouraging them to blaze the trail in the uncharted territories of the profession.

Ayo Adediran, chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos State chapter, however, urged the planning consultants to deepen their resources in initiating instruments such as laws and regulations that would positively affect the practice.

He further enjoined them to see the NITP as a sister body and not as a parallel body, adding that no rivalry exists between both associations as they were rather established to complement each other’s effort in ensuring the profession’s relevance.

Moses Ogunleye, president, ATOPCON, in his remarks maintained that ATOPCON was a medium used by town planners to reach out, expand their horizon and equally advise the government appropriately on town planning issues.

By: ODINAKA MBONU