The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, on Thursday, April 8, 2021 advised town planners to eliminate quacks from the sector to ensure a well built environment.
Salako made the call during the investiture of Mr Ayo Adejumo as the 17th Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Salako, there is the need as professionals to look into policy standards and become more professional.
He charged the new leadership to be resilient in upholding ethical standards and demonstrate leadership to build on the success recorded by his predecessor.
Salako, who is also a town Planner, said the government would collaborate with with NITP to regulate the built environment sector.
Mr Olutoyin Ayinde, National President, NITP, charged the new executive of the NITP Lagos Chapter to set new standards of excellence to ensure a livable environment for citizens.
He called for responsible and responsive leadership that would challenge corrupt practices to ensure sanity in the profession.
Ayinde said the new chairman must brace-up for the task ahead, stressing that “NITP Lagos has come a long way and is at the centre in the affairs of the institute.
“This significant role places the chapter as a pacesetter in the affiars of the institute as well as in the practice of the profession.
“The new leadership is at the least expected to maintain this standard, but it truly has to do more than that because maintaining the status quo is synonymous with making no impact.”
According to him, the demands of the present time suggest that a focused and energetic team was needed to make the chapter better than it used to be.
He charged town planners to have a grip of their profession, demonstrate competence and show mastery of their calling to create livable communities.
Ayinde lauded the immediate past chairman of NITP Lagos, Mr Adebisi Adedire and his team, saying that their administration was trailblazing in conducting a virtual election in the history of the institute.
In his inaugural speech, Adejumo said the new executive would start work immediately so that it could deliver on its campaign promises.
Adejumo listed the five-point agenda of the executive to be: the construction of the main NTIP secretariat building, develop NITP recreation park, and create special welfare programme for all categories of members.
Others are to enhance mentorship and growth of young planners and make the chapter and planning profession more visible.
He commended all the contestants at the elections for showing interest to serve and maturity displayed during the campaign.
The chairman invited all stakeholders to join the present leadership in running NTIP, “we will also be relying on your wisdom, ideas and suggestions to take the chapter to greater heights.
“I promise you on behalf of the executive to deliver on our mandate and ensure that our chapter reaches for much greater heights,” he said.
By Grace Alegba and Rukayat Adeyemi
