NIESV: Nigerian Cities, Others Growing Without Corresponding Economic Transformation
Most African cities, Nigeria inclusive are growing without corresponding economic transformation, the President, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr Emmanuel OkasWike, has said.
Briefing newsmen during the 52nd Annual Conference of the institution, which ended at the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the president of NIESV pointed out that these cities were largely unplanned; highly fragmented and disconnected; pantry investment in physical, social, economic infrastructure and services; and characterized by informal modes of social protection, infrastructure and service provision and dysfunctional municipal administration, among others.
According to him, a major drawback and cause of our malfunctioning cities was the failure to plan the city’s growth or failure to adhere to prescriptions and regulations and pay close attention to land use management as prescribed in the city plan.
To correct the situation, he urged the need to prioritise the transformation of the cities; to make them more liveable and functional.
“We must be serious at solving this most pressing national problem. The transformation of our cities to make them more livable and functional should be a priority,” Wike said.
Failure to transform our cities, NIESV’s president said would amount to failure to meet the targets set out in the Sustainability Development Goals which was adopted by 193 countries including Nigeria.
“Otherwise referred to as the Project 2030, the Sustainability Development Goals is a global endeavour aimed at putting an end to poverty, securing the planet, while ensuring that everyone enjoys peace and prosperity by 2030. The project is also aimed at ensuring three critical issues of functionality, economy and aesthetics which are largely lacking in Nigeria’s present cities,” he said.
On the choice of “Cities of the Future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability” as the theme of the 52nd annual conference, he explained that cities play multi-faced roles in all societies, depending on how they are planned, managed and financed.
He described cities as “drivers of economic growth” and at the same time, the breeding grounds of poverty, environmental hazards and communicable diseases among other ills.
“It is expected that key challenges of future city development and solutions, as well as necessary interventions to solve the hydra headed problems would be examined by this conference and suggestions would be passed to the appropriate quarters for necessary consideration and implementation,” he said.
He emphasised that the theme of the conference would address or provide the direction to the outlook of cities in the future and how they could be sustained basically through infrastructure for economic development.