Edo New Cities: Obaseki seeks input of Architects’ regulatory body, institute

…says well-planned cities attract investors, ease policing  

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has sought the input of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA) and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in the design of masterplans for the new cities billed to be developed across the state.

Obaseki also made a case for well-planned cities across Nigeria, arguing that “poorly planned cities are unattractive to investors and are most difficult to police.”

Obaseki said these when members of the National Executive Council of NIA and ARCON, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, in Benin City. 

The governor said, “Nigeria has for several decades continued to evolve without benefiting from proper planning of its cities. This has contributed to unstructured cities that are difficult to police in the 21st century.” 

He noted that his administration is making efforts to make Edo attractive and safe for investors by developing new cities that are well-planned and would be conducive for investors.

Obaseki mandated the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Edorodion Erimona and Managing Director (MD), Edo Geographic Information Service, Mr. Frank Evbuomwan to collaborate with members of NIA and ARCON on a workshop to finetune masterplans for the new cities in the state.


President, ARCON, Mr. Umaru Aliyu, said that they intend to provide solutions to urban chaos and unstructured development in the state, adding, “The present system where only one professional body reviews the works of at least three distinct disciplines is old-fashioned, prone to corruption and not sustainable for the development of the state. As an association, ARCON proposes that the development control function of the government should be situated in an independent agency.”

 

According to him, “The proposed Development Control Agency should have three technical departments to cover for the three-main components of built environment, which are Architecture, Engineering and Town Planning.”

 

Aliyu commended the governor for his efforts to improve quality of life and the built environment in the state, noting, “The associations are ready to support the state government in promoting sustainable built environment.”

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