By Fresh Facts Correspondent
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Ogun State Chapter, has expressed concern over the rapid population growth in several communities across the state without a corresponding upgrade in infrastructure.
Rising from its August monthly general meeting held in Ilaro, the institute pledged to strengthen partnerships with the Ogun State Government, the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and other relevant stakeholders to confront what it described as a looming urban crisis.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the state chairman of NITP, Adefela Sogbesan, warned that towns such as Ilaro and Ibese in Yewa South Local Government Area were grappling with an influx of residents, spurred largely by industrial expansion in the area. He cited the presence of major industries, including Dangote Cement, which has transformed the axis into a bustling industrial hub.
“It is evident that our communities are experiencing a population boom without commensurate infrastructure to support it. The implications for housing, transportation, drainage, education, and healthcare are alarming,” Sogbesan said.
As part of the meeting’s activities, the NITP delegation paid a courtesy call on the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. Receiving the team on behalf of the Rector, Deputy Rector (Administration), Lukman Lasisi, underscored the need for modern town planning to create livable environments that balance residential, commercial, and educational demands.
While assuring the institute of the polytechnic’s readiness to collaborate, Lasisi highlighted bureaucratic hurdles to academic sponsorship and appealed to the town planners for assistance in resolving a blocked culvert near the campus that causes perennial flooding.
Sogbesan, in his response, emphasised that contemporary town planning must now integrate climate science, data analytics, infrastructure finance, and urban governance, stressing the urgency of collaborative research and sustainable urban development projects.
The NITP team also visited the Chairman of Yewa South Local Government, Hon. Abraham Ogunsola, who pledged the council’s commitment to creating livable environments. Ogunsola described sustainable infrastructure as a necessity in meeting the needs of the area’s fast-growing population.
Meanwhile, at the general meeting held inside the ASUP Hall of the polytechnic, members deliberated on internal matters, including the postponement of the state elections to September and preparations for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to hold in Abuja this October.
The session also featured a fundraising drive for the completion of the NITP-OG building project. Former Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri, made an on-the-spot donation of ₦250,000, while other members followed with immediate pledges.
Kadiri, in his remarks, urged members to uphold the ethics and regulations of the profession, cautioning against prioritising short-term gains over professionalism.
