The State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Emmanuel Ikechukwu who briefed newsmen in Port Harcourt, said the state of physical planning in Port Harcourt and Rives State at large, calls for the declaration of a state of emergency.
Ikechukwu while expressing concern that the Rivers State Physical Planning and Development Law No.6 of 2003, which was signed into law by former governor , Peter Odili is yet to be implemented twenty years after, said such move would have created avoidable flooding, high mortality rate and other disasters.
Ikechukwu said the use of land without planning affects the economic fortunes, health and safety of communities, thus there is no better time than now, for the Rivers State Government to rekindle physical planning activities in the State by giving the existing planning MDAs the required recognition.
The State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners further emphasized that while other climes are aligning with global best practices and sustainable development policies such as the New Urban Agenda and other city management tools and development framework, Rivers State should not be left behind.
