By Amos Aar
THE PRESIDENT of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Dr Chime Ogbonna, has revealed that the management of the Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), formerly Benue State University, has agreed to begin the process of accrediting its Department of Urban and Regional Planning. This, he said, followed a request by the institution as part of efforts to address the persistent challenges of uncoordinated development and inadequate planning in Benue State.
Dr. Ogbonna made this known on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists at the end of the 26th edition of the two-day Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme (MCPDP) held in Makurdi. He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the programme and lauded the hospitality extended to participants by the government and people of Benue State.
According to him, the visit provided an opportunity to assess the state’s planning landscape, and unfortunately, it revealed significant gaps. He noted that Makurdi, the state capital, still operates without a master plan, and the entire state lacks a regional development plan. He emphasised that the absence of local planning authorities in the 23 local government areas is a major setback that threatens the long-term growth of the state.
“We observed that there are no town planning authorities in Benue State, and these are very vital in the physical development of any area,” he said. “If we don’t control development in rural areas and the outskirts, a time will come when the entire place will degenerate into a slum. We advised that local planning authorities be established in every local government area.”
Ogbonna stressed the urgency of implementing Nigeria’s Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1992, particularly in Benue. He described the current planning administration in the state as confused and called for immediate reform before the situation worsens. “Benue State needs the implementation of the regional plan law more than any other state in the federation,” he warned.
During the visit, the NITP leadership also paid a courtesy call on the acting Vice Chancellor (Ag. VC) of MOAUM, Prof. Simon Terver Ubwa. Ogbonna said the Ag. VC not only received their recommendations warmly but also gave clear assurances that the accreditation of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning would be concluded before the end of July. The Institute also requested the recruitment of more teaching staff and the preparation of a master plan for the university itself to avoid future haphazard development on campus.
“Modern universities must not be allowed to grow without direction,” he said. “Otherwise, slums will appear within the campuses themselves.”
Reflecting on the impressions from the visit, Ogbonna said the planners had been pleasantly surprised by the peace and order they experienced in Makurdi which gave them confidence despite the rumoured security threats they heard about. “Before we came, there were reports that Benue was on fire. But when we arrived, we saw no fire. We saw peace. Everything went smoothly,” he remarked with relief.
Also speaking during the closing ceremony, the President of the Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC), Isyaku Muhtar Kura, who was represented by Prof. Timothy Gyuse, expressed deep appreciation to the NITP leadership for making the programme a reality in Makurdi despite earlier uncertainties. He said the success of the event was a testament to strong leadership and determination.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Steven Adah, praised the NITP for choosing Benue as the venue for the 26th edition of the MCPDP. He commended the resource persons for their knowledge-sharing and thanked participants for attending despite initial security concerns. “Even though you heard that Benue was on fire, you still came,” he said with emotion. “I say a big thank you to all of you. I pray God gives you safe journeys back to your various destinations until we meet again.”
The closing ceremony of the event featured the presentation of awards to outstanding chapters. The host university chapter and the Abuja chapter received recognition, with the latter having the highest number of participants at this year’s programme. The gesture, according to the organizers, was meant to encourage active participation and commitment among planners.
The two-day programme brought together town planning professionals from across the country for intense discussions, technical sessions, and networking aimed at repositioning planning practice in Nigeria. With clear recommendations now on the table, the ball is in the court of the Benue State Government and relevant stakeholders to translate those ideas into action for the benefit of present and future generations.
