“THE DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH OF PROFESSIONAL TOWN PLANNING PRACTICE IN LAGOS STATE: LESSONS FOR ANAMBRA STATE".

PAPER TITLE:

Presented by:

Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde

INTRODUCTION

Planners and policy makers are usually bothered about the level ofdevelopment and growth of their immediate environment. Thisparticularly holds true with regards to the custodians of theenvironment. Therefore, when I was called upon by the Anambra StateChapter to speak on this paper titled, “The Development & Growth ofProfessional Town Planning Practice in Lagos State: Lessons for AnambraState,” I was delighted because it avails me the opportunity to share witha sister state how Town Planning Profession in Lagos State has flourishedand transcended to imitable level today.

Cont.

This can only be better understood by delving into human settlements, theneed for planning and service of the professional, planning a professionalpractice, the historical perspective on the development of Town Planningpractice to date in Lagos State, with a view to identifying those areas thatcan be of interest and helpful to the development of the practice inAnambra State. Therefore, discussing this paper with you will definitelybring about a mutual beneficial experience.

THE NATURE OF SETTLEMENTS

• The human settlement is an organized grouping of human habitation ora community in which people live.

• Settlements vary in size and type. They range from a hamlet tometropolitan cities.

• In the pre-history period, human settlements in terms of communitiescould only endure if certain conditions could be satisfied; namely if theclan or community could shelter and defend themselves from attack byhuman enemies or wild beasts; if they could grow sufficient food toprovide not only for daily life but also a reserve to last until the next crop(Adedeji, 2011).

Therefore all attempt of man in having a planned city or settlement wasand have been centered on man.

The art of formal town-planning could be traced back to Athens and thearchitect to whom ancient writers ascribe the first step, was Hippodamusof Miletus,—born about or before 480 B.C.,—seems to have worked inAthenian cities, under the auspices of Pericles. Then what can wegenerally acclaim to be called Town Planning?

Lewis keeble, 1969 defined town planning as, “The art and science ofordering the use of land and the character and siting of buildings andcommunication routes so as to secure the maximum practicable degree ofeconomy, convenience and beauty for the benefit of man”.

Cont.

McLaughlin defined town planning as the provision of the right site at the righttime in the right place for the right people (i.e. the land users).

The Town Planners (Registration, e.t.c.) Decree No 3 of 1988, under section 18(i)says “ Town Planning “means the theory and practice of Town and CountryPlanning by the ordering and control of the siting and erection of buildings andother structures and the provision of open spaces and such similar use of land,as the case maybe, for the improvement of human environment.

In line with the Constitution of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (2010)Section 18(m) “Town Planning” includes Urban and Regional Planning, Town andCountry Planning, Town and Regional Planning, Physical Planning, UrbanDevelopment and Management Planning.

From the above definitions of town planning the two key words identified arecentred on man and land i.e. the objective of town planning is to plan the land inorder to accommodate various uses of man.

Cont.

TOWN/CITY AS A LIVING ORGANISMAND THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONALSERVICE OF TOWNPLANNERS

Throughout history, cities have often been compared with living organisms.

Urban tissue, a city’s heart, arteries and lungs are some of the terms thatcomprise the extensive urban planning vocabulary that has been created bycomparing fragments of the city with organs or elements of the human anatomy.

CITY/HUMAN COMPARISON AS LIVING ORGANISMS

• Design/ implementation Pregnancy and birth

• City growth Growth of the living organism

• Decay Old age

• Death/needs urban renewal Death

TOWN/URBAN PLANNING AS A PROFESSION

• Town planners, generally known as planners, are professionally trained personnelinvolved in the management and development of cities, towns, villages and thecountryside with the aim to balance the conflicting demands of housing,industrial development, agriculture, recreation, transport and the environment,in order to allow appropriate development to take place.

BASIC ELEMENTS THAT MAKE TOWN PLANNING A PROFESSION

1. All planners are exposed to the same body of knowledge. This training is

formal and for a specific period of time.

2. Pupillage

3. There is a regulatory body for the practice.

4. There is a code of conduct that guides the operation of the professionals.

5. There is a procedure for discipline.

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL

• Integrity

• Honesty

• Information

• Confidence of Information

AREAS OF PLANNING PRACTICE SERVICES

• Preparation of Physical Development Plans

• Review of Plans

• Plans and Projects Implementation

• Planning Advocacy/ Representation

Cont.

• Broad Environmental, Physical Planning and Socio-Economic Studies (SARPand EIA):

• Planning Advisory Services

• Project Management

• Preparation of Planning Brief

• Development Control/Administration

• Development Control/Administration

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOWN PLANNING PRACTICE TO DATE IN LAGOS STATE

The historical development of Town planning practice in Lagos will be classified in thispaper in terms of pre-colonial, colonial and post‐independent periods.

Pre-colonial Lagos: Prior to the advent of the colonial period, pre-colonial physicalplanning administration were administered through traditional institution and werestructured according to the local custom and practice.

Colonial Lagos: The town planning practice in Lagos can be traced under the colonialperiod to have stated from 1854 when the British took over the administration ofNigeria. The physical development problems arising from congestion in the native areasthat were planless led to the outbreak of bubonic plaque in the later part of 1920s. Butgovernment responded by ensuring that the Lagos Executive Development Board(LEDB) undertook several assignments including reclamation of swampy areas of Oko-Awo in the early 1930s and the resettlement of the displaced people from the area tosouth of Yaba estate. During this same period Yaba North estate was also established toprovide housing to government officials. The Lagos Executive Development Board(LEDB), was also saddled with the responsibility of vetting and approval of buildingplans.

Post-Colonial Lagos: Several Schemes, plan and authorities were also created todrive development in Lagos after the colonial rule and they are:

• New Town Development Authority (NTDA)

• Private Estate Development Scheme

• Ministry of Housing

• Regional Master Plan (1980-2000)

• Model city plans like:

1. IKoyi /Vi Model City Plan

2. Ikeja Model City Plan

3. Agege/Alimosho Model City Plan

4. Badagry Model City Plan

5. Ikorodu Model City Plan

The Development Schemes like:

1. Lekki Peninsula

2. Lagos South-West

3. Lagos North-West

4. Lagos North-East & Lagos Free Trade Zone.

Between 1973 to date, physical planning in Lagos has been organised andimplemented under various government structures.

S/No Placement Years Units Parastatals

1 Ministry of Works and

Planning

1973-1978 Physical Planning

Development Control

Master Plan

Project unit

2 Ministry of Housing,

Surveys and Special

Duties

1978-1979 Physical planning and

duties, Development

Control

Master Plan Project unit

Master Plan

Project unit

3 Ministry of Economic

Planning and Land

Matters

1979-1984 Town Planning

Directorate Urban and

Regional Division

Development Control

Master Plan Project

Development Planning

Special Technical

Committee, New

Towns

Development

Authority (NTDA)

4 Department of Lands,

Housing and

Development Matters

of the Military

Governor’s Office

1984-1985 Town Planning Directorate

Urban and Regional

Planning. Development

Control

NTDA

Cont.5 Department of the

Environment

1985-1986 Town Planning Directorate

Urban and Regional

Planning. Development

control

NTDA

6 Department of the

Environment and Physical

Planning of the Military

Governor’s Office

1987-1989 Town Planning Directorate

Urban and Regional

Planning Development

Control Development

matters

NTDA

7 Ministry of Environment

and Physical Planning.

1990–1991 Physical Planning

Department

Development ControlUrban RenewalDevelopment Matters

NTDA

Urban Renewal

Board

Town PlanningAppealCommittee

8 Office of the Environment

and Physical Planning

(Governor’s Office)

1992–1993 Physical Planning

Department

Development Control

Urban Renewal

Development Matters

NTDA

URB

Office of Physical

Planning (OPP)

9 Ministry of Environment

and Physical Planning

1994–1999 Physical Planning

Department

Development ControlUrban RenewalDevelopment Matters

NTDA

URB

Committee on

Illegal Conversion

Office of Physical

Planning (OPP)

Cont.

10 Office of Physical

Planning, Ministry of

Environment and

Physical Planning

1999-2003 Physical Planning

Department

Development Control

Urban Renewal

Development Matters

NTDA

URB

Committee on

Illegal Conversion

Office of Physical

Planning (OPP)

11 Ministry of Physical

Planning

2003-2004 Physical Planning

Department

Development Control

Urban Renewal

Development Matters

NTDA

URB

Committee on

Illegal Conversion

Office of Physical

Planning (OPP)

12 Ministry of Physical

Planning and Urban

Development

2004-Date Physical Planning

Department

Development Control

Urban Renewal

Development Matters

NTDA

LASURA

LASPPPA

LASBCA

Sources: Adeniyi 1998; authors’ field work 2016

Cont.

Source: Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development

Cont.

LAGOS STATE PHYSICAL

PLANNING PERMIT

AUTHORITY

LAGOS STATE BUILDING

CONTROL AGENCY

LAGOS STATE URBAN

RENEWAL AGENCY

URBAN FURNITURE REGULATORY

UNIT (UFRU)

Issuance of Development

Permit.

Preparation of lower

level physical

development plans e.g.

Development Guide

plan, District plan, Local

plan, etc.,

Monitoring compliance

with operative

development plans

Keeping records and

gazetting of planning

permits.

Building Control

Construction stage

certification

Issuance of

certificate of

completion and

fitness for

habitation

Removal of illegal

and distressed

buildings.

Monitoring and

identifying areas

qualified for upgrading

Advising the

government on

redevelopment or

renewal programmes.

Holding, administering

and maintaining

government properties

within areas designated

as Urban Renewal

Areas.

Registration of all owners and

operators of masts, towers.

parabolic antennae (VSAT)

including other types of

antennae and similar structures

Developing, maintaining and

updating the database of all

existing telecommunications

and similar infrastructure.

Ensuring compliance with high

quality infrastructural materials

Enforcement of appropriate

physical planning law.

Source: Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development

HIGHLIGHT OF SELECTED PROJECTS EXECUTED BY THE MINISTRY OF PHYSICAL

PLANNING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT

MASTER PLANS

• Lekki

Lekki comprehensive Master Plan was approved by the State Government infulfilment of the 10 point agenda in achieving sustainable physical planningand environment. Located in the Lekki Peninsula sub region, the Plan covers60,000 hectares. This is aimed at redirecting the exisiting and future growthof the region.

• Lagos Mainland CentralThe Mainland Central area comprises four Local Governement Area(Yaba, Mushin, Surulere and Shomolu Local Governments) coveringapproximately 6941 hectares. The Plan has the potential to absorb theoverflow from central Lagos in the area of commerce, and housing andwhilst improving infrastructural development.

Redevelopment projects

• The Redevelopment of Isale GanganIt is proposed to have 54 Serviced Residential Units on 11 floors. The project is at completion stage.

• Relocation of Computer Village to Katangowa

The relocation will create new regional economic development activity in the north-west of Lagos Mega city with the provision of of 2350 K-Klamps, 2800 shops, 3 Food Courts, Software training institutes, Clinic, Fire Station, Repair Centre, Guest House, Helipad.

• Development of e-Planning Process and Archival System

The project involved the conversion of approved building plan files to digit format in order to protect the documents form destruction, reduce physical storage of paper records and for easy retrieval.

HOW THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF LAGOS AFFECTED THE PRIVATE

SECTOR PRACTICE OF THE PROFESSION

The professionals in the public sector on behalf of the government could onlyprocess approvals, grant permits, monitor and execute projects, but accordingto the Town Planners (Registration, Etc.) Decree No.3 of 1988, ProfessionalPractice Regulations 1988 (Cap.T 7, Lfn 2004), article 1 section 10a states that

“A registered Town Planner member who is a civil servant or public officer onfulltime employment by a Federal, State, Local Government Department,Statutory Board, Town Planning Authority or Agency no matter how describedwill not undertake private planning work, in keeping with governmentregulations on private practice by civil servants and public officers”.

This clause therefore limits the public sector planning practitioners fromrendering services that would be needed by the public which now avails theprivate practitioners of the profession to offer those services.Many of the urban design projects carried out over the years in Lagos Statehave been done by the private sector practicing firms.

THE NEED FOR COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION

Collaboration between public and private sector is inevitable in theplanning professional service because one needs the other in order tocreate better and more effective public and private services and products.Collaboration enables sectors to exchange and share knowledge,experiences, know-how and expertise. Collaboration helps to bring abroader set of skills and talents and a more responsive work culture intopublic sector organizations, along with innovative thinking and creativity;it also helps private companies to innovate more effectively and toachieve their concrete goals in a more efficient way.

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR URBAN PLANNING

Some of the challenges faced in urban planning are:

Metropolitan management

Growth and Environmental Impact (Ecological Footprint)

Urban development in disaster-prone sites

Property rights vs. public appropriation

As urban form changes, there would be need to describe the newly evolving form of urban and regional settlements, which would bring about more jobs and responsibilities for the Town Planners in areas like:

• Tourism Planning/Environmentalism

• Strategic urban planning

LESSONS FOR ANAMBRA STATE

Anambra state has an opportunity for further growth and development witha land size of 4844sqkm (against Lagos 3577sqkm) and a population of5,425,334 (against Lagos now close to 17million). While the ecologicalchallenge of Erosion in Anambra is of note, Lagos is also low lying and agreater percentage of the available land is covered by wetland.

Looking at the Institutional framework put in place for Physical Planning inAnambra-:

• 1 Director (Town Planner) in the Ministry

• 1 General Manager for the Physical Planning Board and Units of PhysicalPlanning Board in Local Government Areas with each headed by ExecutiveSecretary: I would rather say you are just starting compared with the statusof Lagos State:

Ministries /Agencies Directors

Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban

Development (MPP & UD)

5-Directors heading various departments

concerned with Physical Planning (Town

Planning Services)

Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority

(LASPPA)

1- General Manager and 4-Directors heading

Departments & Zones

Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority (LASURA) 1-General Manager and 1 Director (Town

Planning Services)

Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) 1-General Manager and 1 Director (Town

Planning Services)

Ministry of Housing 1-General Manager and 1 Director

(Town Planning Services)

Ministry of Transportation 1-Director (Town Planning Services)

New Town Development Authority (NTDA) 1-Director (Town Planning Services)

Source: Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development

Generally speaking, Anambra State shall need to broaden the base of PhysicalPlanning and areas of planning practice especially with a view to addressingsome of the peculiar environmental challenges- erosion for example.

It is therefore, key to identify and locate the area worst hit by thesechallenges and planning them effectively and appropriately; applyingappropriate Erosion Control Mechanism and landscaping methods to provideplanning that shall be economically and socially of benefit to our people.Other specific lessons may include the following:

• Need to expand the base of Planning.

• Need to think outside the box.

• Understanding the Spirit of Professionalism.

• Recognizing the Role of Professionals in National Development.

CONCLUSION

It is our collective responsibility to always ensure high level of commitmentand professionalism towards the prompt delivery of our services. As membersof this noble Chapter, we should endeavor to promote good conduct, soundcharacter and above all high level of professional competence as well as ethicsin the discharge of our professional services and responsibilities.

I look forward to a vibrant and friendly professional practice in Anambra State.Thank you for listening.