Anambra Govt Tasks NITP To Champion Initiatives To Tackle Challenge Of Building Collapse

The Anambra State Government has urged the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners, NITP, to bring their expertise to bare towards addressing the increasing rate of building collapse in the state.

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Primus Odili, made the call when the national body of NITP paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Government House Awka.

Nigeria Institute of Town Planners, NITP was in the state to condole the state government on the recent building collapse at Onitsha which claimed lives and seek for stronger partnership to avert further occurrence.

Receiving the team, Chief Odili said that the state government is committed to having well planned cities in the state, but regretted that most lofty visions in the building sector, collapse on the verge of implementation.

He urged the NITP to incorporate agencies and bodies that could deliver so that Anambra can compete favourably with other cities in the world.

The Chief of Staff challenged the association to come up with a road map that would achieve organized environment, that can attract investors and address issues of building collapse in the state.

In an address, the National President NITP, Town Planner Lekwa Ezeutah commended the state government for implementing the Anambra State Physical Planning law, which he said should be backed up with creation of a body that is professionally equipped to determine structural integrity of building structures.

The group had earlier paid a courtesy visit on the Rector Federal Polytechnic Oko, where they intimated her that the Department of Urban and Regional Planning is ripe for Post Graduate Course.

Responding, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr. Francisca Anyafulugo, thanked the Institute for the visit, and assured that the institution has mapped out strategies of expanding its structural development to its extension campuses, for a better environment.

The National body of NITP later visited the school of Environmental Studies where they encouraged the students to remain focused, and as well, educated them on the importance of their chosen profession towards a brighter future.