By Festus Ahon

Earlier this week, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, (NITP), converged at Asaba, the Delta State capital, for their 54th Annual Conference and General Meeting at the Event Centre, Asaba.

Ahead of the commencement of the Conference on Tuesday, the Planners visited the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to inform him of their presence in the State and to invite him to the Conference.

Speaking during the visit, Governor Oborevwori charged officials of the Town Planning Office and other regulatory authorities to ensure strict compliance with town planning and urban development laws.

He said that a safe, secure and flood-free environment required the cooperation and strong partnership of the regulatory officials and the public, adding that the theme of the Conference “Planning Nigerian Settlements for Climate Change Adaptation and Flood Resilience,” was timely given the devastating effects of flooding in the Country.

Oborevwori said town planning was a critical factor in preventing flooding in our urban centres and communities and challenged town planners on the need to discourage indiscriminate construction of buildings on waterways.

He urged the town planning body to caution members from giving approvals without visiting project sites to ascertain the suitability of the environment for such buildings.

In his remark, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Mr Nathaniel Atebije, told the Governor they were in Asaba for the 54th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the institute. He said the Conference would provide a platform to interrogate the challenges of Climate Change, flood resilience and ways to provide mitigation measures, emphasizing that Delta, being a coastal State, would benefit from the programme.

Mr Atebije, who congratulated Governor Oborevwori on his environment-friendly policies, enjoined him to meaningfully engage certified town planners in the Ministry of Urban Renewal in the implementation of the master plan of towns and cities across the State.

At the Conference proper, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori called on town planners to mitigate the effects of Climate Change on the people by ensuring effective planning of towns and cities.

They spoke separately on Tuesday in Asaba at the 54th National Conference cum Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, said; “I am convinced that effective town planning remains an important tool in our effort as a Government to contain and mitigate the challenges of Climate Change.”

The President commended Governor Oborevwori for hosting the Conference, noting that “Climate Change is no longer a distant threat; it is a stark reality that confronts us every year and every day; the rising temperature, the table water patterns and, more frequently, severe flood around the world have become a norm, rather than the exception.”

In an address read by the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, Governor Oborevwori urged town planning officials and regulatory bodies to “ensure strict compliance with town planning and urban development laws to avoid the unpleasant task of demolishing buildings on waterways and drainage channels.”

He said the cooperation of the public was very imperative because they have as much stake as public officials in the protection and preservation of the environment, emphasizing, “as a coastal State, Delta has had a running battle with erosion and flooding, but as a Government, we have put some measures across the State to mitigate the effect of impending flood as warned by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET)”.

Also on Tuesday, Governor Oborevwori played host to the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Delta State chapter, where he charged Christians to pray for political leaders across the country to provide purposeful leadership for the nation.

The Governor expressed delight with the visit of the fathers of faith, adding that their prayers and support were what every political leader needed at this point in time. Oborevwori, who said he was a servant leader chosen at this time to lead the State, stressed the need for the Church to identify with the Government by praying at all times for the will of God to be done.

The Governor further commended PFN members in the State for standing firm for truth and justice and urged them to continue in that stead.

Earlier, President of the PFN, Bishop Kingsley Enakirerhi said they visited to rejoice with the Governor and appreciate God for his victory not just at the polls but also at the court.

He maintained that the Governor is one of their very own, as he is the first member of the PFN body to be a Governor in the State, noting that the Governor is also an elder in the church.

The Bishop also commended the Governor for the flyovers, cloverleaf and road expansion in Warri and Effurun contracts signed with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc., stating that, “it is evidence that your promise to do more is what you mean and we celebrate you for that.”

Similarly, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday presided over the State Executive Council meeting, where a proposed budget of N714.4 billion was approved for the 2024 fiscal year.

The Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr Sonny Ekedayen, who disclosed this at a post-EXCO press briefing, said the proposed budget comprised N397 billion, representing 56 per cent for Capital Expenditure, while N316 billion, representing 44 per cent, for recurrent expenditure.

Flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, Ekedayen said the 2024 proposed budget was premised on an exchange rate of N750 per dollar, adding that the budget would be forwarded for consideration and approval by the State House of Assembly.

*Ahon is Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor