Expert advocates inclusion of residents to actualize Aba master plan

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

As Abia State government, in collaboration with the United Nations Habitat (UN Habitat), moves to realize a master plan for Aba, the Abia State Branch Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Abia State, ESV Ucheibe Augustine, has advocated inclusion of residents of the commercial city to enable them drive the process in order to make it a success.

Records show that the first military administrator of Abia State, Group Captain Frank Ajobena, initiated a structural plan for Aba, 31 years ago. But the project was abandoned by succeeding administrations. This gave rise to indiscriminate building of houses which impeded the realization of the Aba Structural plan.

However, in its determination to ensure that the major cities of Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia in Abia have master plans, the Abia State government sought collaboration with the UN Habitat which recently sent its team of experts to kick-start the realization of the Aba Structural plan. However, the projects could not be commenced simultaneously in the three major cities of Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia as the state. government pleaded paucity of funds.

Offering his piece of expert advice on how the Aba Structural plan could be seamlessly realised, Ucheibe who is a Director in the Abia State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, suggested that the UN Habitat Team should adopt the bottom-up approach and give the beneficiaries free hand to drive the process. According to him, residents of Aba were required to provide accurate information to enable professionals implementing the project to do d a good structural plan.

The Abia NIESV boss who is also an ex-staff of European Union, told newsmen that there was need also for continuous collaboration among the professionals in the Built Environment to give full effect to the envisioned Master Plans for the Abia  cities.

The UN Habitat delegation, while in Abia, held a three-dayinteractive programmes, including Technical sessions, Reconnaissance Tours, Stakeholders Meetings, Town Hall Meetings and Preparation of the Structural Plan, which involved relevant built up professionals, Traditional Rulers, Commissioners, Planning, Business and Economic Community, among others.

During one of the sessions, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Chief Dr Francis Chidi Onwuchuruba, lauded the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, for realizing the elusive 31 years old dream of Structural Plan for the major cities of the state.

Describing the project as a goldmine, economically, infrastructural and aesthetically, Dr Onwuchuruba noted that the projects, when completed, would be a legacy project with multipliers effects that would help the Governor to finish his tenure strongly.

The Commissioner also charged the people to embrace and support the project, equally implored stakeholders and citizens to cooperate with Executive Secretaries of Town Planning Authorities to execute their mandate of sanitizing the built up industry, warning that government would descend on those who threaten them and prevent them from discharging their official duties.

While urging professionals in the built up industry to be diligent and professional, Chief Dr. Onwuchuruba also advised Landlords to acquire lands not encumbered and build according to specifications to avoid building collapse, warning that contraveners of the building code would face the wrath of the law.

Also, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, TPI Aaron Ikechi Bestman, expressed  joy that the 31 years old dream  was being realised during his tenure.

“Abia State government and the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning are committed to the realization of the project in record time. There would be a continuous brainstorming by stakeholders to ensure that Abia Cities and urban areas become the Dubai of Nigeria and Africa,” Bestman said.

The Permanent Secretary said he was haapy that every strata of the Abia Community have bought into the Un Habitat Structured Plan and embraced the project as their own. Bestman therefore, enjoined all relevant stakeholders to provide correct data that would produce an accurate structural Plan, warning that that garbage in would only lead to garbage out.

TPI Ikechi Bestman also charged Abians to accept and canvass the project and its sustenance to ensure that Aba becomes the Dubai of Nigeria.

The UN Habitat Leader of delegation, Dr. Omoayena Odunbaku, commended the resilience and resolve of Abia government and people to realizing the a structural plan which she predicted would turn around the economic and aesthetics trajectory of Aba cities on completion.