The spate of flooding that affected several states during the 2022 rainy season was due to planning failure in the society, according to the Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Kaduna state, Nuhu Ajoge.
Ajoge, who was guest speaker at the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Seminar organised by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Kaduna state branch, said water will always find its course to flow.
“Flooding across the country was due to planning failure. Where planning is properly done, the society will be better, but where the society is not well planned, that is why we are having natural disasters. Water has its own course but where water channel has not been allowed to flow properly, it’s normal for the water to spread to other areas thereby causing flood,” he said.
Speaking to the theme of the Seminar, “Urban Renewal Programme in Kaduna state: Gains and Pains”, the guest speaker lauded the Kaduna state government for addressing urban decay by embarking on the projects, but urged government to adopt people – centered approach for social justice.
“The present Kaduna state government is doing a lot to give Kaduna a new befitting urban image. Previous governments of the state have not been able to match the scale of urban renewal programmes the current government is handling.
“There is need for government to fully adopt a people-centered approach that guarantees social and spatial justice, upholds sustainable livelihoods whereby urban renewal actions holistically improve the environment and attract economic investments without endangering the livelihoods of the poor or merely end up on gentrification where only the rich become beneficiaries. This approach may be more challenging and slower for the government to implement but would carry the people along and help them also feel like they are part of the projects.
“Displaced residents should be assured of accessibility and affordability of reorganized spaces (particularly in the market redevelopment projects) after the redevelopment process. This can be done by ensuring fairness in space allocation and flexibility of payment for the commercial spaces by interested individuals,” he said.
Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Kaduna state branch, ESV. AbdulKareem Sule Obaito, said the annual workshop was “designed to aid and facilitate the training and retraining of our members to create awareness, enlighten, guide and promote real estate profession/ activities in the built environment among individuals, organisation and government institutions.
“The theme is intended to showcase the benefits and cost of the urban renewal programme being a tool employed by Governor Nasir el-Rufai” to correct the wrongs and achieve infrastructural development.
