What Institute of Town Planners Would Do to Violators of Abuja Master Plan

What Institute of Town Planners  Would Do to Violators of Abuja Master Plan

The leadership of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), has announced that said the institute is set to investigate the alleged violation of the Abuja master plan by past administrations through a committee that it has constituted.

This was in reaction to a member of the Senate committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Dino Melaya, who alleged during its sitting last Wednesday in Abuja, that some prominent Nigerians were allocated plots of land by the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) in some parts of reserved green zones with disregard to the FCT master-plan.

Melaye also alleged that all previous administrations since 1999 were being probed by the Senate to ascertain the extent of their involvement in the land deal.

Making the disclosure at a press briefing in Abuja, second National Vice President of  the institute, Lekwa Ezutah, said the committee would thoroughly investigate any erring member found to be involved in the violation of the FCT master plan through illegal allocation of the green zones, adding that appropriate sanction will be meted on the erring member.

According to him, those found culpable will be prosecuted through established tribunals, adding that NITP will not waste time in making its recommendation known to the government.

He said: "NITP will also make recommendation to government on the matter. We urged the public and stakeholders to report any case of violation of land use because adverse effects of deviating from the master plan."

According to him, religious implementation of the master plan is subscribed by urban and regional planners whose vision is to be at the forefront of provision and sustenance of functional environment and also to ensure that planned settlements are sustainable, competitive and inclusive.

Ezutah acknowledged that greed on the part of the elites and lack of awareness of some politician aided the abuse of the master plan which is a comprehensive physical development tool for the city that indicates the appropriate location for every human activity.

According to him, though the review of every master plan could be done every five years, there is a procedure and due process to be followed after critical analysis as such cannot be not done at will or at the whims and caprices of any individuals.