Edo Assembly Set To Domesticate Town Planning Laws To Boost Physical Development In The State
By Simeon OSAJIE
Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun (ksc) has said that the House will establish sustainable Regional and Town Planning Laws to mitigate the effects of climate change, tackle environmental and health hazards in the state.
Speaker Onobun hinted this when the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr Olutoyin Ayinde, along side the Chairman Edo state chapter, Dr. Hope Iyawe and other Fellows of the state excos, paid him a courtesy call at the old Legislative Chamber in Benin city.
Rt. Hon. Onobun asserted that most environmental hazards that the state has encountered is as a result of poor regional planning, the panacea which he said has already been captured in the 30years development plan laid down by the Godwin Obaseki led administration.
He promised to rally the support of other legislators to domesticate and enact enabling laws bordering on Regional and Town planning for the betterment of the people of Edo state.
Speaker Onobun registered his intention to sustain interaction with the leadership of the body of NITP with the aim of seeking professional advice and recommendations that would give Edo state a development boost.
He also noted that various constituencies will be actively informed and carried along in the planning process as he believes suggestions and comments should be considered in preparing the draft for Physical Development Plan.
Earlier, The National President, Mr Ayinde had appealed to the Speaker to look into domesticating the existing Urban and Regional Planning Constitutional 1992 Law that facilitates the preparation and implementation of development plans and planning schemes, with a view of creating a better environment for living, working and recreation in the state.
Highlighting the importance of Town Planning Laws, he said unless State Legislators take on the responsibility of administering appropriate Town Planning Laws, human development cannot be fully achieved.
The EDHA Speaker was in joined on the courtesy call by the House Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Audu-Umogbai, the Chief of staff to the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and the Director Speaker’s Office, Mr. George Aitoumun.
