The Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON) has challenged practitioners to improve their services and ensure a livable environment for Lagosians.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, led the charge at the 2022 yearly general meeting of Lagos State branch of ATOPCON, themed, ‘Improving the Practice of Urban and Regional Planning Profession in Lagos State’.
Salako said planners in the state should be more proactive, professional and ethics wise and be pragmatic in approach towards physical planning and urban development.
He urged them to be vocal on policies and tap into government programmes with aim of improving urban governance, stressing that government will welcome their professional contributions.
According to Salako, town planners should consider offering services to government pro bono and call for collaboration between practitioners in the public and private sectors.
The Managing Director, MOA Planners Limited and representative of Lagos State’s Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), Mr. Moses Ogunleye, said town planning has witnessed a lot of development, adding that practice improvement requires consultant town planners to appreciate the value of the profession.
He said consultancy in town planning can be profitable and pay bills of practitioners. Ogunleye wants firms to run their operations as business that can compete with the best in other states and other countries in service delivery.
According to him, for successful practice, the profession requires extensive cooperation, collaboration and understanding between the public and private sectors.
“The skills of management, communication, negotiation, human and public relations, including marketing are germane for firms and individual consultants. Consultant town planners cannot afford to act or carry on their business like non-professionals. Knowledge, skills, ability and integrity need to be displayed continuously by firms and practitioners.”
He noted that consultant town planners cannot afford not to buy into the phenomenal change, which Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) has brought into the spatial planning business.
ATOPCON President, Muyiwa Adelu, encouraged practitioners to work with the state authorities in chronicling estates, which are yet to get layout approval with a view to ensuring that they do the right thing.
“What it also means is that our firms will have more work, while we generate more revenue to the state and help the environment and guide against slum growths. It is time we built on Land Use Planning and Analysis Report (LUPAR) success and begin advocacy to ensure all developers comply with the state directives,” he said.
Earlier, the chairman, ATOPCON, Lagos State branch, Dr. Kola Olayiwola explained that the theme mirrors the goal and objectives of the ATOPCON founding fathers, who believed in ensuring vibrant town planning professional practice in the most ethical and professional way.
