The Ondo State Government has reiterated its commitment to effective urban and regional planning as a key driver of sustainable development across all sectors of the state.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide, made this known on Monday in Akure, the state capital, during the 2025 World Town Planning Day celebration.
Olajide affirmed that the government remained dedicated to creating a more sustainable, organised, and livable environment for residents.
This year’s celebration, themed “With Planning, We Can,” underscored the vital role of proper planning in advancing social progress, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
“As we gather on this momentous occasion, we are reminded of the power of planning in shaping our communities and transforming lives,” Olajide said. “Effective planning is crucial to overcoming challenges such as congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental degradation.”
He further revealed that the state government is collaborating with UN-Habitat and the Royal Town Planning Institute in London to build capacity in urban planning and management. These partnerships, he said, would strengthen projects focused on urban renewal, transportation, waste management, and environmental protection.
Olajide added that the government is finalising work on a comprehensive planning law aimed at improving regulatory frameworks and addressing emerging urban challenges.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director of Master Planning, Mr. Abimbola Tofowomo, emphasised the urgent need for inclusive and forward-thinking planning to tackle Nigeria’s growing urban development challenges.
Tofowomo explained that World Town Planning Day, celebrated globally, serves as a platform to advocate for better-planned cities and human settlements.
“We are now in an age of unprecedented urbanisation. By 2050, nearly 70 per cent of the global population will live in cities. How we deal with this depends entirely on how well we plan,” he said.
He criticised the lack of functional master plans in many Nigerian cities, linking the shortfall to issues such as flooding, environmental degradation, uncontrolled expansion, and traffic congestion. He therefore called for the adoption of modern tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and active community participation in planning processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Gbolabo Osunsanmi, urged planning professionals to uphold integrity, discipline, and innovation in discharging their duties.
Describing the event’s theme as timely, Osunsanmi said it serves as a reminder of the profession’s mission to build inclusive and prosperous communities through visionary and lawful planning.
“Planning can be political and may require diplomacy, but it must always serve the public interest,” he said. “Planners should resist unethical practices, and the state government should accelerate the passage of the Omnibus Planning Law while prioritising the preparation and enforcement of master and zoning plans across all localities.”
He concluded by stressing that adequate investment in planning promotes prosperity.
“With planning, we can resist corruption, preserve our dignity, and hand over to the next generation a beautiful, organised Ondo State,” he said.