RSG Tasks Town Planners On Flood Control

The Rivers State Government has solicited the support of town planners in checking check the incessant cases of flooding in Port Harcourt City and environs.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning, Esu Durokweni Amiofori said this in Port Harcourt while declaring open the 2017 edition of the mandatory  continuing planning education programme (MCPPEP) organised by Town planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC).
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director Building Plans Approval Regulation in the ministry, Sir Edmund .M. Obinna, said that the present Administration is determined to return Port Harcourt to its garden city status.
According to him, before the  inception of the Administration, Port Harcourt was turning into a garbage city as the streets were littered with refuse adding that the city has now been restored to its status as the garden city of Nigeria.
He commended the council for choosing Port Harcourt for the conference and assured of the support of government.
While speaking in an interview with The Tide later on, Sir Obinna who spoke on his capacity as a director, said that urban slums have no correlation with criminalities stressing that slums which can be found in every city in the world serves as a refuge for the low income earners.
He also said that governments all over the world is making effort to provide basic amenities to slumd wellers in the city and environs.
Also speaking, Town Planner, Tete Inamei Rivers State  Chairman of the Association called on the state Government to set up a regional development board for the development of rural areas.
Inameti said that the development of rural areas will check the rate of rural urban migration in situation that will improve sanitation and  as well as check insecurity in the city of Port Harcourt and its environs.
He said that town planning has, a lot to do with security, stressing that the design of  a town can either encourage or discourage insecurity adding that lack of proper planning of a town or city can attract crimes.