Elections: Provide enabling environment for citizens, NITP charges candidates

Ahead of the general elections, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners has charged candidates and their political parties to provide an enabling environment for all citizens.

The institute noted that the move was part of its programmes for advocating good governance through adequate physical planning.

The National Public Relations Secretary, NIPT, David Olawale, who revealed this at the weekend, noted that the National President, NITP, Nathaniel Atebije, visited the head offices of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP), among others.

Olawale stated that the President of the body, Atebije, carried out the visitation to various political parties’ head offices in Abuja between Tuesday, February 14 and Thursday, February 16, to present the memoranda on a comprehensive plan of action for good governance in Nigeria.

Olawale said: “He also encouraged political parties’ aspirants on the need to follow the blueprint as highlighted from their manifestos in order to provide an enabling environment that is sustainable for the citizens of this country.

“Some of the parties visited are the APC, PDP, LP and NNPP, among others. During his visits, he reiterated the need to give urban and regional planning and its practitioners the right place to enable them to provide good governance.”

The institute had earlier called on political parties to review their manifestos to reflect the critical role of physical planning in their agenda.

Atebije made the call in Abuja at the 2023 quarterly press conference of the institute.

He used the forum to advise that as the 2023 general election draws closer, there was a need for political parties to place the issue of town planning on the front burner to curtail the rising cases of disasters in the country.