Rivers State government has expressed its willingness to establish strategic partnerships with professional bodies to promote sustainable development and create environment-friendly cities.

The State’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, stated this while hosting a delegation of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) Rivers State Chapter.

He said town planners play a critical role in fostering sustainable development and an egalitarian society.

The commissioner said he would leverage the expertise of the town planners in delivering on the core mandate of the ministry in line with the urban renewal policy of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which aims at restoring the Garden City status of Port Harcourt and creating more livable cities.

He also gave credence to a key recommendation of the NITP on the need to strengthen the State’s Physical Planning and Development Law No. 6 of 2003 in the face of emerging innovations in global urban development.

Bipi assured them that he would push for a review of the law through the State Executive Council and ensured that it is presented to the Rivers State House of Assembly for consideration.

The commissioner explained that a review of the law would create a more robust framework for guiding urban growth and development, thereby creating a more sustainable and equitable urban environment. He appealed to them to consider a downward review of their fees on developers, especially charges on on-site analysis reports and location plans, as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.

Earlier, NITP Chairman, Rivers State Chapter, Dr Simeipiri Johnbull, while congratulating the commissioner on his appointment, pledged the support of the professional body to realise his goals in the ministry.

He urged the ministry to align its goals with Sustainable Development Goal 11 by mitigating the proliferation of slums in the state, containing urban sprawl and uncontrolled development, providing accessible and affordable transit options, fostering public participation in urban governance and securing public spaces for all residents.

Johnbull called for the review of the State’s Physical Planning and Development Law No. 6 of 2003 for effective planning administration, developing and implementing updated physical plans for Port Harcourt Greenfield and peri-urban areas to prevent slum development and environmental degradation, as well as addressing the manpower deficiency in the ministry.

Other recommendations include decentralisation of functions of the ministry by establishing local planning authorities and strengthening professional standards within the ministry. The institute said land acquisition in the state should be under the government’s strict control to protect agricultural land and digitalisation of approval processes of the ministry to streamline operations and allow registered professionals to manage digital submissions.

The delegation said there is an opportunity to expand the revenue base of the State’s Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development by declaring planning areas and registering layouts including those for oil and gas facilities, to secure the state’s fiscal interests.