NIESV: Nigerian cities, others growing without corresponding economic transformation

Most African cities, Nigeria inclusive are growing without corresponding economic transformation, the President, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr Emmanuel OkasWike, has said.

Briefing newsmen during the 52nd Annual Conference of the institution, which ended at the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the president of NIESV pointed out that these cities were largely unplanned; highly fragmented and disconnected; pantry investment in physical, social, economic infrastructure and services; and characterized by informal modes of social protection, infrastructure and service provision and dysfunctional municipal administration, among others.

According to him, a major drawback and cause of our malfunctioning cities was the failure to plan the city’s growth or failure to adhere to prescriptions and regulations and pay close attention to land use management as prescribed in the city plan.

To correct the situation, he urged the need to prioritise the transformation of the cities; to make them more liveable and functional.

“We must be serious at solving this most pressing national problem. The transformation of our cities to make them more livable and functional should be a priority,” Wike said.

Failure to transform our cities, NIESV’s president said would amount to failure to meet the targets set out in the Sustainability Development Goals which was adopted by 193 countries including Nigeria.

“Otherwise referred to as the Project 2030, the Sustainability Development Goals is a global endeavour aimed at putting an end to poverty, securing the planet, while ensuring that everyone enjoys peace and prosperity by 2030. The project is also aimed at ensuring three critical issues of functionality, economy and aesthetics which are largely lacking in Nigeria’s present cities,” he said.

On the choice of “Cities of the Future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability” as the theme of the 52nd annual conference, he explained that cities play multi-faced roles in all societies, depending on how they are planned, managed and financed.

He described cities as “drivers of economic growth” and at the same time, the breeding grounds of poverty, environmental hazards and communicable diseases among other ills.

“It is expected that key challenges of future city development and solutions, as well as necessary interventions to solve the hydra headed problems would be examined by this conference and suggestions would be passed to the appropriate quarters for necessary consideration and implementation,” he said.

He emphasised that the theme of the conference would address or provide the direction to the outlook of cities in the future and how they could be sustained basically through infrastructure for economic development.

According to him, as they are presently, the cities could not guarantee healthy living, long life and welfare.

How our future cities would look and function, he pointed out would depend on the decisions of the policy makers, the private sector and professionals in the built-environment.

However, he enjoined stakeholders to endeavour to build cities with the combination of the advantages of urban and rural settings, but without their disadvantages.

The president of NIESV said: “We should endeavour to build sustainable cities where the ecosystem is holistically ensured, where the aspects of the city system works in tandem for its people and the environment, and where the lives of all people who inhabit them will be enriched.”

According to him, carefully assembled as resource persons at the conference were array of subject matter experts and highly renowned industry futurists with sharp eyes to observe relevant trends, innovations and developments across the world which can be applied in Nigeria.

Top government officials at the federal and state levels, captains of industries and stakeholders in the real estate sector were in attendance during the conference.

While commending the government for efforts put in place to address the security challenge in the country, Wike demanded a critical and strategic reexamination of the security architecture with a view to carrying out a comprehensive overhauling of same.

“The implications of the insecurity situation on business activities cannot be overemphasised. When there is widespread insecurity, business investment, including real estate is affected

“While the government continues with the efforts to restore peace and security, I want to appeal to all of us to play our part in lowering the palpable tension in the polity as a result of the security challenges. I appeal to all Nigerians to continue to support our security agencies while working to protect us. The least we can do is to give them our unalloyed support,” he said.

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