The Ondo government says it is committed to effective planning, which will drive development in all sectors.

The commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Sunday Olajide, stated this on Monday in Akure at the 2025 World Town Planning Day celebration.

Mr Olajide noted that the government had its commitment to building a more sustainable, organised, and livable environment.

The celebration, ‘With Planning, We Can’, highlighted the central role of effective planning in driving social progress, economic development, and environmental sustainability.

The commissioner underlined the importance of collaboration among professionals and residents to enhance the quality of life across the state.

“As we gather on this momentous occasion, we are reminded of the power of planning in shaping our communities and transforming lives. Effective planning is crucial to overcoming challenges such as congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental degradation,” Mr Olajide said.

According to him, the state has partnerships with UN-Habitat and the Royal Town Planning Institute in London for capacity building.

He added that the partnership would ensure projects on urban renewal, transportation improvements, waste management, and environmental protection.

The commissioner stated that the government was concluding work on a comprehensive planning law to strengthen regulatory frameworks and address emerging urban challenges.

Delivering the keynote address, Abimbola Tofowomo, director of master planning, highlighted the urgent need for inclusive and forward-looking planning to address Nigeria’s mounting urban development challenges.

Mr Tofowomo explained that World Town Planning Day, celebrated globally, served as a platform to advocate for better-planned cities and human settlements.

“We are now in an age of unprecedented urbanisation. By 2050, nearly 70 per cent  of the global population will live in cities. How we deal with this depends entirely on how well we plan,” he said.

Mr Tofowomo condemned the lack of functional master plans across many Nigerian cities, linking the deficiency to flooding, environmental degradation, uncontrolled expansion, and traffic congestion.

He called for the adoption of modern tools such as Geographic Information Systems and artificial Intelligence (AI), along with active community involvement.

The chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Gbolabo Osunsanmi, urged practitioners to uphold integrity, discipline, and innovation in the performance of their professional duties.

Mr Osunsanmi described the theme as a timely reminder of the profession’s mission to build inclusive and prosperous communities through visionary and lawful planning.

“Planning can be political and may require diplomacy, but it must always serve the public interest. Planners should resist unethical practices, and the state government should accelerate the passage of the Omnibus Planning Law while prioritising the preparation and enforcement of master and zoning plans across all localities.

“Adequate investment in planning brings prosperity. With planning, we can resist corruption, preserve our dignity, and hand over to the next generation a beautiful, organised Ondo state,” he said.

(NAN)