Nov 19, 2011 by NITP Admin
Communiqué of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) held in Oshogbo, Osun State between Wednesday 26th and Saturday 29th October 2011.
The Conference was declared opened by the Executive Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ably represented by his deputy, Otunba Titlayo Laoye-Tomori. Attendance at the conference spanned across professionals in the built environment and other sectors of the economy. While appreciating NITP Osun State Chapter for hosting the Conference, the Institute thanked the Osun State Government for her support and the provision of an enabling environment for a successful conference. Six hundred (600) participants attended the conference.
The theme of the conference was: Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Physical Planning and the Provision of Urban Services in Nigerian Cities. At the Conference eight (8) papers were presented.
The Conference observes:
• With pleasure the physical planning projects embarked upon by the Governor of Osun State particularly the urban renewal and sanitation programmes being pursued with vigour and strong political will.
• That due to the high rate of urbanization and rapid expansion of cities there are gross deficiencies in infrastructural provision, delivery and management in major cities in Nigeria.
• That the demand for basic infrastructure and services in our cities and towns, far outstrips the financial and management capabilities of government to meet it hence the urgent need to look for alternative and complementary efforts.
• Sustainable management of the provision of infrastructure under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concept thrives best within the broad framework of respect for the rule of law, good governance and public participation.
• That the PPP concept should be embraced by all tiers of government as it is timely and relevant for the present dispensation in Nigeria. Public Private Partnership is a suitable approach for urban infrastructural provision for socio-economic and cultural growth of the country. There is a need for intensified private sector participation in infrastructural provision in Nigeria through the PPP program.
• The execution of PPP projects and the implementation of all government projects are best carried out in the context of a Master Plan as this ensures integrated development with all the attendant benefits of orderly development, convenience and urban aesthetics among others.
Recommendations
1. To facilitate the use of PPP as a vehicle for ensuring sustainable environmental planning, development and management, there is an urgent need to rebrand the image of the public sector presently smeared with corruption, nepotism and tribalism. This will create an enabling environment for PPP to thrive.
2. Transparency in all projects undertaken by the public-private partnership approach must be ensured to instill confidence in the private sector.
3. Government at all levels should try to rehabilitate and resuscitate all abandoned projects through public-private partnership. For instance, the Federal Government should embrace public-private partnership for the implementation of many projects in Abuja Master Plan.
4. Town Planners, as experts in land use planning and the preparation of Master Plans, must be part of consortiums engaged in the identification of PPP projects.
5. Governments should commission the preparation of Master Plans for major cities in Nigeria to provide a valid framework for implementing PPP projects. Master Plans, with its definitive status on the use of land, boosts private sector confidence.
6. All state governments in the federation should, as a matter of duty, enact and implement the Town Planning Law in accordance with cap 138 LFN, 2004.
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