By Olatunde Ajayi

The Oyo State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners(NITP), Prof. Musibau Jelili, has called for effective urban planning to address frequent occurrence of flood and other environment related health challenges.

Jelili, while speaking during his investiture as the 18th Oyo state chairman of NITP on Thursday in Ibadan, said that many land uses did not get necessary approval for the project while some that did deviated from it to cut cost.

The don said that the incompatible land uses and mixing up of both residential and industrial areas could lead to flood, waste management problems, urban pollution and other environmental problems.

He noted that enforcement of development control at times becomes difficult, due to connections of the people handling the project.

According to him, urban planning and enforcement agencies must always ensure effective monitoring of development project to ensure that the contractor follow the project specifications.

“If there is no effective monitoring of a project, there is tendencies that developer will not follow the specifications by way of cutting corners to reduce cost.

“Also, members of the community are not helping matter, we normally neglect the aspect following right urban planning in our project decisions.

“Environmental hazards can not be controlled, if we do not give urban planning its pride of place, where there will be effective land use planning, harmonious coexistence of different land uses and human activities.

“If we allow planners to work without hindrance, our environment and development will become more sustainable with bouyant economic impact on our nation, “he said.

He reiterated the need for town planners to promote designs that optimise resource utilisation, minimise environmental impacts, and create inclusive spaces that cater for all members of society.

“My vision is to ensure that we have a state where planning is allowed to function, available, accessible and competently executed for improve image of the professional and welfare of the public.

“As guardian of built environment, we must remain at the forefront of of innovation and best practices,”he said.

Also, the guest lecturer, Prof. Tunde Agbola, said that town planners needed all hands on deck to build a better future for present and future generations.

He added that collaborative synergy among stakeholders in urban planning would serve as a panacea to planning problems facing the country at current time of increasing environmental uncertainty.

The don also called for active public participation in planning, saying it would help to build trust and understanding between citizens and government, and to create a more vibrant better society and engaged community.

Earlier, the National President of the NITP, TPL Nathaniel Atebije, in his opening remark, charged the new NITP executives to see their new position of leadership as a call to duty, especially in the interest of the association and progress of planning profession.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the programme also featured the inauguration of pioneer executives of the Association of Women Town Planners in Nigeria (AWTP), Oyo state chapter, and launching of Oyo State NITP By-Law 2023.(NAN)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

By Oluwafunke Ishola

President Bola Tinubu has called on African leaders to increase investment in African youths toward enhancing socio-economic development of the continent. 

Tinubu said this during a Breakfast Launch of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Impact Report, held on the margin of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. 

The report has the title, “The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme: A Decade of Impact”.

The report highlights the significant contribution of the TEF’s flagship 100 million dollars Entrepreneurship Programme in advancing Africa’s socio-economic development. 

The programme was organised by TEF, United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) GEN-U, a global partnership to skill and connect young people to opportunities in education, employment and social impact. 

Tinubu, represented by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said that African leaders aren’t doing enough for the citizens as regards socio-economic development. 

“I don’t think we are doing enough as Africans for Africa. I think we need to do a lot more. 

“Tony Elumelu is the major person driving investment in SMEs, supporting the youths, entrepreneurship, and start-ups. We need to challenge ourselves more, go a bit further. 

“Africa has some of the richest people on the planet, we have a resource rich continent, a huge population of young people, and I think that we need to take that challenge upon ourselves as Africans, to support one another,” he said. 

Tinubu said that Africa should desist from its reliance on donor funding, noting that such should support what had already been established and not show Africans the way to do things.

He noted that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) were the engines of Nigeria and African economic growth, adding that they contributed almost half of the national GDP, and more than 80 per cent of employment. 

“And this is why we owe them every support that we can make available,” he said. 

Tinubu added that the right infrastructure which includes regulations, property rights, access to justice, protection from unfair competition, power, roads and ports access would be provided.

Similarly, Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman, TEF, noted that the foundation took a bold step to transform Africa 13 years ago, by enhancing entrepreneurship development and galvanise African solutions. 

Elumelu noted that TEF had lit a beacon, noting that support and collaboration was required to make the beacon shine brighter and better. 

“100 million dollars is a drop of water in the ocean compared to what we need in Africa. Young Africans need economic support. 

“We’ve seen the devastating effect of climate change, how our young ones due to hopelessness are migrating and living in difficult situations. We want to put a stop to that,” he said.

To achieve that, Elumelu called for collaboration and increased investment in young Africans, bringing more women to economic activities and alleviating poverty. 

“Poverty anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere,” he said. 

Earlier, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Somachi Chris-Asoluka, said TEF had empowered young African entrepreneurs from all the 54 African countries.

Chris-Asoluka noted that TEF had surpassed its target and funded 18,000 entrepreneurs and disbursed over 100 million dollars, directly, as seed capital to entrepreneurs who had created over 400 thousand jobs across African countries. 

She said that 91 per cent of businesses supported by the foundation were still active, generating significant revenue of over 2.3 million dollars and creating jobs.

According to her, the foundation has boosted gender representation, noting that the goal is to create a brighter and inclusive future for Africa. 

Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, UNDP, said UNDP partnered TEF due to shared interest that drives development across Africa and globally. 

Eziakonwa noted that Africans wealth was its population which constitutes 70 per cent of young, vibrant and innovative Africans. 

“It is our loss if we don’t invest in them because that is the future of prosperity,” she said. 

She called for enhanced collaboration and investment to strengthen economic development of African youths. 

Also, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said that TEF’s work aligns with Lagos State programmes on economic empowerment and poverty reduction. 

Sanwo-Olu said that collaborative efforts must evolve, to enhance the scale of Impact to deepen inclusion, equity and fairness. (NAN)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa