The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Kogi State Chapter, has called on government at all levels to prioritise effective physical planning as a foundation for sustainable development, economic growth and improved living conditions.
The Chairman of the Institute, Tpl. Sani Daniel, FNITP, made the call in Lokoja while marking the 2026 World Town Planning Day, celebrated annually on November 8, with the theme, “Great Communities Are Built on Planning.”
Tpl Daniel emphasised that great communities do not emerge by accident but are products of deliberate planning, responsible leadership, effective institutions and collective commitment.
According to him, physical planning goes beyond the construction of roads and buildings to include the provision of adequate housing, healthcare facilities, schools, transportation networks, drainage systems, recreational spaces and environmental protection.
The Chairman expressed concern over the increasing rate of uncoordinated physical development in several parts of Kogi State, particularly Lokoja, Anyigba, Okene, Kabba, Ankpa, Ajaokuta and Obajana.
He observed that many settlements in the state lack current and operational master plans to guide their physical growth, resulting in infrastructure deficits, indiscriminate development, environmental degradation and encroachment on road reservations.
Tpl. Daniel therefore called on the Kogi State Government to urgently prioritise the preparation and review of master plans for Lokoja and other rapidly growing urban centres.
He stressed that planning must precede development, noting that the cost of preparing and implementing physical development plans is far less than the cost of correcting the consequences of unplanned development.
The NITP Chairman also advocated stronger planning institutions, effective enforcement of development control regulations, adequate funding, and the deployment of modern technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Speaking on environmental sustainability, the NITP Chairman urged government and residents to protect floodplains, waterways, drainage corridors, green spaces and other environmentally sensitive areas against indiscriminate development.
He emphasised the need to integrate industrial development and population growth with infrastructure planning, particularly in emerging industrial settlements such as Obajana and Ajaokuta.
The Chairman commended the Kogi State Government for efforts towards strengthening the legal and institutional framework for physical planning and development management, while calling for sustained political commitment to the implementation of planning policies.
He also urged property owners, developers, traditional institutions and community leaders to support orderly development by complying with approved physical development plans and relevant planning regulations.
Daniel reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Kogi State Chapter, to collaborating with government, development partners and other stakeholders in promoting sustainable urban and rural development.
“Great communities are not built by chance, but through vision, deliberate planning, effective implementation and collective responsibility.” Tpl Daniel noted
The Chairman called on all stakeholders to embrace physical planning as a shared responsibility towards building a more prosperous, inclusive, environmentally sustainable and greater Kogi State.
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