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THEME:

ROLE OF PROFESSIONALS IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY & GROWTH.

PAPER TITLE:

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: ORGANIZE OR AGONIZE.

By TPL. OLUTOYIN AYINDE

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PREAMBLE "Pain" and "Paean" are two sides of a coin of human reaction to daily living. The former reflects distaste and discomfort experienced when we go through stressful living , while the latter is an expression of pleasure at a seemingly smooth and stressless living. But pain in itself has its own advantages, In some climes, it is indeed the inspiration needed to make things turn better, the momentum required to question the status quo ante, and seek other ways of doing things, which makes way for the consideration of deep thoughts and strategies to improve living, generally known as planning. Planning, not prayer makes development happen, and gets people out of their problems, which is why nations of the earth that have made appreciable progress have achieved such progress through a system that has produced professionals over the years, who through concerted efforts, backed by comprehensive planning, have made their nations proud. This underscores how invaluable professionals are in the sustainability of nations politically, physically, economically, socially and technologically. If professionals are so germane to national development [especially in Economic Recovery and Growth], what is it with Nigeria, and what makes its own case different? Why have professionals played significant roles in the development of other Nations and the same cannot be repeated in Nigeria? Mabogunje [1995] was on point when he stated, "for, if the truth be told, a significant proportion of the problem of mismanagement under which this country has reeled is not unconnected with the penchant of our decision-makers to paying scant attention to the professional competence and experience of many of those appointed to highly critical positions in both the public and private sectors of our economy". This infers that competent professionals ultimately add value to national development. Conversely, the lack of them or their misuse results in stunted development. This paper is thus focused on how Nigeria can achieve sustainable human settlements through a professional input called physical planning. The inevitable result of neglecting physical or urban planning is chaos in the settlement system which ultimately inflicts pain as demonstrated by failure of the physical and economic infrastructure of the Nigerian State. The emphasis on urban planning is so made because the world generally is going urban as more than 60% of the world’s population resides in urban settlements.

1.0 BACKGROUND

In terms of its geographical size, population and economy, Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with in Africa. As one of the African continent’s biggest economy, Nigeria has undergone many changes in recent years. Yet there are some fundamental challenges which still remain and need to be overcome before it can fully realise its economic potential. Within the spotlight of this analytical paradigm, the standing proclamation is that no matter the amount of economic resources a country has, the development and utilization of such resources largely depends on planning or management. According to (Moses et al, 2013), the creation of economic development and its sustenance are not solely determined by the availability of economic factors but also the quality of management/plan of the economic resources. No economy has ever grown to the age of maturity if the human settlements fundamental to development are dysfunctional or unorganized, because unsustainable human settlements and economic development are inversely related just as poor management and development are mutually exclusive. It is indisputable that Nigeria has all the financial and material resources to be an economic powerhouse, not only in Africa but the rest of the world. Sam Adeyemi, President of Success Power International once observed, “Where there is no order there will be pain, anguish, and distress”. It is now very obvious that the problem of Nigeria

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is not lack of resources but inadequate planning and bad management of resources for the development of human settlements. From a structural perspective, the ugly picture of our economic backwardness in Nigeria is the paradox of growth without development. And for more than five decades, Nigeria has failed to provide meaningful living for her citizens as a result of the lack of political will to invest in physical planning and follow up with implementation of development plans. Statistically, in the late 2014 Nigeria was ranked the biggest economy in Africa (CBN report, 2014), but in practical terms, it is an economy which growth has never reflected in the living standard of Nigerians. Economic indicators such as poor industrialization, high rates of unemployment and poverty are coming from a history of improper planning and corruption. However, it is noteworthy that many countries of the world like Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Japan, China, e.t.c that have overcome their significant economic challenges have done so by taking long years of adequate strategic physical planning for their human settlements to achieve such feat. And below is a proof of transformation of slums to enviable cities in countries around the world.

Yibin (China)

Fig. 1.0 Transformation of Yibin (China), before and after

Dubai, (United Arab Emirate)

Fig. 1.1 Transformation of Dubai (United Arab Emirate), before and after

In the words of Dr Liu Thai Ker, “There are three possible approaches in achieving the sustainable human settlements – to plan what we like, what we can, or what we must.” The first two approaches are seductive, soft options which require little hard work or know-how. The challenge is to make a commitment to choose “to plan what we must”. For as long as Nigeria continues to tow the path of weariness to plan its cities or settlements, our present disabilities will be relatively better than our future. The effect of this on the economy and the people call for a serious concern. It is no doubt therefore, that if the country’s economy is to stand on its feet again, developing sustainable human settlements is non-negotiable. Truth is, where planning exists, order is the norm and order makes room for increase.

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2.0 DEFINITION OF TERMS

“Urban” : an area with a large amount of people residing in it or an area that has been significantly developed. “Urban Planning” : determines how to make the best use of available space. It involves creating land use plans as well as reviewing, approving, modifying, and sometimes rejecting the plans of developers. “Sustainability” : being a method of using resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. “Human Settlement” : an organized grouping of human habitation place where people establish a community. Note: In the context of this presentation, the word urban planning, urban and regional planning, town planning, and physical planning are generic terms that are used mutually to include both the urban and rural areas since they are both beneficial to each other and also used interchangeable to mean “The art and science of ordering the use of land and the character and siting of buildings and communication routes so as to secure the maximum practicable degree of economy, convenience and beauty for the benefit of man” (Lewis Keeble, 1969). It also means the ordering and control of the siting and erection of buildings and other structures and the provision of open spaces and such similar use of land, as the case maybe, for the improvement of human environment (The Town Planners (Registration, e.t.c.) Decree No 3 of 1988).

3.0 THE STATE OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN NIGERIA Nigeria, unlike other countries in Africa, does not suffer from the problem of a single, large, primate city where all development is concentrated; but there are several large cities of importance spread across the country, a number of which are larger than most national capitals in Africa. Today, there are more than 840 urban centres, and well over 10 cities with populations of over a million in Nigeria. Lagos State, one of the 36 States is larger in population than more than 32 African countries put together and is still growing. In another decade, four additional cities in Nigeria will qualify as mega-cities (John, 2005). And most can be said to be unplanned and undergoing degradation. Nigeria is an economy that operates without electricity, with decaying infrastructure, a country that is enveloped with insecurity and terrorism, and very little or no attention has paid to the possibility of having sustainable human settlements. It is disheartening to note that the human environment in Nigeria is far from the dreams and aspirations the people desire, but a review of the challenges below which have been identified as components of physical planning will be an eye opener to the sorry state of the human environment in the country.

3.1 Challenges facing the Human Settlement Development in Nigeria The above conditions certainly pose great sustainable development challenges to Nigeria's urban centres. The explosive rates of growth have not only progressively complicated and exacerbated inter-related problems of human settlements and the environment, but have also greatly accelerated poverty. Presently, 70million Nigerians live in poverty. Only China and India have more poor people. The demand for infrastructure, basic services and housing in expanding urban centres is on the increase. Issues of sanitation, waste management, crime, social conflict and governance also need attention. Moreover, there is a strong urban bias in the development of programmes and no coordinated efforts at rural development, which in turn is reflected in inadequate access to market for goods and services, and deplorable condition of the education, health, transportation, water and sanitation sectors. A quick overview of the infrastructure in the existing settlements will buttress the unorganised

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nature, depicting the unsustainability of human settlements in the country, which is a leading challenge facing the economy.

3.1.1 Housing Housing is one of the best indicators of a person’s standard of living and his place in the society. Like food and clothing, housing ranks among the 3 basic human needs. Its availability is very crucial to the welfare of every human. Nigeria with a population of over 174 million people is currently facing a national housing deficit of about 17 million units. In 1991, the Nigeria housing deficit was at 7 million, it since increased from 7 million in 1991, to 12 million in 2007, 14 million in 2010 and currently 17 million units. The implication of this very high housing deficit is that tenants in rented apartments pay as high as 60% of their average disposable income on accommodation, far higher than the 20-30% recommended by the United Nations. Also, experts believe that it is only 10% of those who desire owning a home in Nigeria can afford it, either by way of purchase or personal construction as against; 72% in USA, 78% in UK, 60% in China, 54% in Korea, 92% in Singapore. With the present Boko Haram crisis in the northeastern part of the country, many have been displaced from their initial settlements, thereby increasing the need for housing in the country. And with the ever continuous increase of Nigeria’s population at a growth rate of 2% in a population of 178 million, the current rate of housing production will never be able to match the demand. Planning will help to address these infrastructural/utility deficits and put in place space standards that will deliver a functional living environment and would curb incidence of pollution and achieve proper utilization of land.

3.1.2 Transportation Although it is estimated that since 1999, Nigeria has spent over N2 trillion on roads, there seems to be little or nothing to show for that huge sum. From the federal Trunk A roads like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway and down to the Owerri-Port Harcourt-Calabar Expressway; from the winding, pot-hole ridden state-owned Trunk B roads to the bumpy intractable local earth roads, Nigerian roads tell a story of utter neglect and unbelievable apathy as a result of poor planning and there is no alternative either. The railway system is dysfunctional while the air transport sector is an arena of inefficiency and a cesspool of corruption. The country has an estimated 193,200km of roads with the Federal Government being in charge of about 34,000km, leaving the rest to the states and local governments. Unfortunately, no tier of government can be said to have acquitted itself creditably on matters of road construction and maintenance. Invariably a considerable number of man-hours are lost in traffic. And the national economy suffers incalculable losses when trucks and trailers fall off the road during transportation of goods from North to South of the country. Some of the roads being constructed are not as a result of conscious planning, thus resulting into economic waste, not being fully utilized by the required threshold population. Unlike road construction in other parts of the world where most of the roads are well thought of and designed to suit the climate, the terrain, and several factors integrated before the commencement of the road construction, same cannot be said of road construction in our country where how much will be generated from the project as profit into individual account is of the highest agenda.

3.1.3 Water Nigeria is blessed with abundant water resources but largely untapped. In spite of the abundant water resources, government at all levels (federal, state and local) have not been able to successfully harness these resources to ensure a sustainable and equitable access to safe, adequate, improved and affordable water supply and sanitation to its population. Less

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than 30 percent of Nigeria’s population has access to potable water (Krebs, 2010). This has made households to turn to private wells or street vendors to meet drinking water needs, which has exposed consumers to bacterial and heavy metal contamination exceeding local regulatory standards. Water and sanitation remain the major primary drivers of public health. In 2015, 69% of the total population had access to "improved water supply". This was 80% of the urban population and 57% of the rural population. In 2015, around 58 million people lacked access to "improved" water. As for sanitation, only 29% of the total population had access to "improved" sanitation. This was 33% of the urban population and 25% of the rural population. Approximately 130 million people still lacked access to "improved" sanitation.

With the help of planning, water scheme can be designed to solve the challenges of water supply in the various communities within the country and also forecast future needs within this communities.

3.1.4 Electricity

The situation of power supply has degenerated so much in Nigeria that one can hardly boast of availability of power for six hours uninterrupted supply in a day. This can be dangerous and expensive for industry and domestic users. The effect is enormous. “It is obviously impossible and unthinkable that investors would contemplate on investing in Nigeria when the country has been for most of the time in total blackout” Mahdi (2004). There is no doubt that many industries folded up principally as a result of poor power supply and the high cost of operating with private generators and power plants. It is clear that without electricity there can be no industrial development and all this grand vision of becoming one of the world’s leading economies by 2020 cannot be realized. The harm caused by lack of power in Nigeria is incalculable, the statistics are daunting. In Kano, for instance it has been estimated that more than half of the city’s 400 industrial establishments have been forced to close down due to lack of power. With this closure some half a million workers have been retrenched. The Kano example is being replicated all over the country and has already compounded the already tenuous security situation.

According to PriceWaterHouseCoopers Nigeria’s report (2016), the country’s current power generation stands at an average of 3,800 Megawatts and the per capita electricity usage is 151 kilowatt/hour. Nigeria’s electricity consumption on a per capita basis was among the lowest in the world when compared with the average per capita electricity usage in South Africa, 4,803 kWh, Zambia, 543.77 kWh; Zimbabwe, 912.74 kWh; Tunisia, 1,215.08 kWh; Egypt, 1,408.59 kWh; Iraq, 1,639.06 kWh; Namibia, 1,927.76 kWh; Syria, 1,983.66 kWh; Malaysia, 3,724.23 kWh; and Iceland, 51,142.11 kWh. By comparison, South Africa, with a population of just 50 million, has an installed electricity generation capacity of over 52,000 MW. On a per capita consumption basis, electrification rate in the country amounts to a mere 126 kWh per capita head(Odutola, 2017). It is most surprising that provision of electricity does not seem to consider growth and expansion of settlements as the infrastructure of more than three decades ago still subsist.

Table 3.1 Comparison of Nigeria & South Africa in Electrical Terms

Source: Author’s Research, 2017

COUNTRIES POPULATION GENERATION

CAPACITY (MW)

PER CAPITA ELECTRICITY

USAGE(KWH)

NIGERIA 178 MILLION 3,800 126

SOUTH AFRICA 50 MILLION 52,000 4,803

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3.1.5 Agriculture The glory days of agriculture in Nigeria since the discovery of oil can be said to have been lost, because it has not only been reduced to a sorry state but has also been neglected to a decimated state with people engaging in agriculture as a major source of livelihood being regarded as local people. The famous groundnut pyramid of the North, cocoa farms of the West and palm oil trade of the East are now issues of history. The famous Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) of the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo yielded no result. Also the famous marketing boards across the country which were used to coordinate and regulate the prices of agricultural products were closed down. The Shika Government Stock Farm which served as a British Colonial Government Department of Agriculture was turned to Archives (Abubarkar Zaria, 2011). The objective of the establishment of Shika Government Stock Farm according to Archival report was essentially for “the improvement of the cattle of Nigeria”. There is no doubt that if the objective was sustained after the departure of the British Colonial Government, Nigerians would have been earning high dividends from cattle export. Today the state of Shika Stock Farm is better imagined. National Archives Kaduna report revealed that after the establishment of Shika farm in 1928, the farm started to produce working bulls to other Europeans and British farm centers in Northern Nigeria. It noted that British farm centers located at Kano, Gusau, Maigana, Sokoto, Bauchi and Mokwa benefited from the working bulls produced at Shika Government Stock Farm. Probably, the cattle rustling crises happening in the nation today would never have occurred. Nigeria can regain its lost glory of being an agrarian economy, through effective utilization of land for farming purposes that will generate optimal harvest. Physical planning intervention can play a major role in the allocation of land for grazing and agricultural estates which will help to avoid the present cattle rustling confrontation the country is faced with today.

3.1.6 Health Nigeria’s health sector has performed poorly despite billions of naira spent on it. Policies have been produced, refined and changed; agencies have been created to focus on specific health matters; all sorts of foreign aids and assistance have been attracted into the country for several decades, yet Nigerians still die of health conditions and diseases that are easily preventable. Many people now live in our settlements, and the population will continue to grow. With the majority of the world's population going urban health becomes very vital because lack of sound health will impinge on the finances of the citizens. Some of the health problems experienced are the result of crowded living conditions, configuration of our settlements, the nature of services available and lifestyles. Apart from these, we find incidences of epidemics such as cholera in some urban settlements, high mortality rates, malaria, all of which point to the need for having water and sanitation. Health planning therefore must become a necessity if we are to keep the citizens of this country healthy. Most important is the issue of access to health institutions, especially the Primary Health Centres (PHC’s) where sick people can readily be attended to. As much as governments in the federation have attempted to provide PHC’s, limited success has been achieved because the attempts have not been made with inputs from Physical Planning. There is obviously the need to engage with Urban Planning experts to advise governments appropriately.

3.1.7 Education Education in Nigeria is in a state of emergency. Although government has not declared this, the poor results recorded annually in national examinations are proof that there is trouble. Care for education is about care for human capital, which today is the biggest asset of any nation. Nations that have consciously, consistently and strategically invested in the development of their human capital have continued to excel. Knowledge and skill acquisition

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form the basis for progress in the contemporary world. Education helps productivity and guarantees self-freedom. Productivity inevitably results in prosperity. Education helps in reducing inequality, and additionally has an impact on the state of health of citizens as the educated become free from the perils of ignorance. It thus lowers mortality rates and helps in building social values of civic behaviour, social justice and global citizenship. The biggest concern about education to Physical Planning is that of access. There are settlements existing today where children have to trek kilometers daily in order to reach their schools. Even in the urban settlements we have situations where people take their children to school in distances that exceed prescribed walkable distance within the neighbourhood unit. The Sustainable Development Goal on Education recommends that countries ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Whereas each country is left to design its own roadmap to achieving this goal, there is no doubt that the success envisaged would remain elusive without planning. Embracing Physical Planning will assist in addressing issues surrounding access to facilities to make our educational system functional.

4.0 PHYSICAL PLANNING AND THE ENVIRONMENT Nigerian Cities today are faced with acute problem of insecurity in the North-east, Southeast and Southwest, environmental degradation and pollution in the Niger Delta, poverty and exclusion in virtually all over. The ever-widening gap between rich and poor is symbolised by the stark disparity in the quality of the living environment. This is reflected in the contrasting urban forms - exclusive gated communities are developing side by side with rundown neighbourhoods and slums. The failure of the leadership of the country to come to terms with the need for physical planning of our settlements is largely responsible for the failure of our cities to function as engines of economic growth that they are meant to be, as well as absorbers of surplus labour from rural areas. This results in exacerbation of the ecological crisis, hinders agricultural development and installs a vicious cycle of poverty, with more poverty-driven growth of the cities. Urban planning does not automatically achieve better cities. It combines the skill of resource allocation and budgeting exercises channeled through political vision and values to bring about the physical reality of cities. Physical planning is the key to bridging the urban divide and is an essential tool to making cities inclusive, environmentally friendly, economically vibrant, culturally meaningful and safe for all. If the country must witness a generic growth, it must embrace physical planning in all dimensions for a vigorous reinvention of the cities i.e. physical planning is the only remedy, an inevitable and urgent solution to our economic recovery. And until planning is placed at the forefront of our economic recovery, then and only then can Nigerians begin to expect economic growth, because Urban planning will not only create cities that work for all citizens, but offer opportunities to the rich and the poor alike, where communities and their concerns are at the heart of decision making on development, and where risk and vulnerability are effectively addressed for all citizens, particularly the poor. Given these new imperatives, many may now wonder, what then is Physical Planning?

4.1 Physical Planning Physical Planning is a result oriented means of capturing our dreams through concrete actions in a given direction. Physical Planning is about dreams. It is about Action! It is about taking the right direction through various plans, development orders, etc. Physical Planning includes:

spatial organisation

ordering the use of land for working, living and recreating

having conducive, convenient and aesthetic environment

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the translation of visions, ideas, interest, cartographically on papers for implementation

National, Regional, State and Local dreams and visions designed (expressed in documents) for execution.

4.1.1 Hierarchy of Physical Development Plans: Physical Planning and Sustainable Development is achieved through the provision of the following:

National Physical Development Plan

Regional Development Plans

Sub-Regional Development Plans

Master Plans

District Plans

Local Plans

Urban Plans

Action Plans

Layout Plans

Subject Plans

Neighbourhood Plans

The order of the physical development plans above is very important, and must be implemented accordingly to fully ensure that no area is left unplanned in the country. However, the various physical development plans cannot be done in isolation, but interconnected with good governance and sustainable development in order to achieve organized human settlements.

Fig. 4.0. The Essential Relationship

5.0 SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS Sustainability of human settlements involves creating the conditions under which dwellers in both new and established residential communities can enjoy healthy, productive and well-integrated lives. A settlement is not just a dormitory. It must be ‘sustainable’ in the broad sense of being able to ensure that residents can live in safe, healthy and dignified conditions, with relatively easy access to urban amenities, the ability to exercise their need for community, and opportunities to realise their future aspirations. Sustainability and sustainable development focus on balancing that fine line between competing needs - our need to move forward technologically and economically, and the need to protect the environment in which we and others live. Sustainability is not just about the

Physical

Planning

Sustainable

Development

Good Urban

Governance

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environment , it is also about our health as a society in ensuring that no person or area of life suffers as a result of environmental legislation, and it is also about examining the long term effects of the actions humanity takes and asking questions about how things may be improved. According to (Yigitcanlar et al. 2015), prosperity and environmental sustainability of cities are inextricably linked; therefore, cities can only maintain their prosperity when human settlements and social objectives are fully integrated with economic goals. In the light of this view, during the last two decades, many cities of the developed world have introduced new frameworks and guidelines to incorporate sustainability in their urban planning and development processes. Therefore, to attain a sustainable human settlements in Nigeria, the following must be strictly adopted:

5.1 Poverty Reduction and Economic Empowerment Strategies Poverty eradication, which is one of the indispensable requirements for sustainable human settlement development must be vigorously pursued. Well-run cities are proven fighters of poverty. Achieving sustainable human settlement development through poverty reduction would require the decisive commitment of all stakeholders involved individuals, communities, governments, non-governmental organizations, community development associations, community based organizations and relevant international agencies. First, the federal, state and local governments must ensure commitment to planning and in the area of fund allocation for provision of social services that are beneficial to the poor; fostering efficient macro-economic and sectoral policies and the provision of an enabling environment to facilitate private sector economic framework as expressed in the plans. Also, the government should recognize and encourage non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be actively involved in a wide variety of activities to help provide development opportunities for grassroots communities considering the disproportionately high incidence of endemic poverty in the rural communities. Such encouragement of the NGOS should be closely accompanied by governments’ increased investment in human capital, a requirement necessary to equip the poor with education/training in order to enable them share in emerging grassroot area opportunities.

5.2 Good Governance and Enhanced Urban Development Government must realize that good governance is fundamental to national development and that sustainable human settlement development cannot be achieved on its own without sustainable peace and democracy. This is why strong emphasis should be placed on ensuring a stable political environment, sustenance of democratic principles and government geared towards achievement of improved living conditions. For development to last, there is need for good governance. It is very important to ensure that good governance forms the basis of, and accompanies, development. Otherwise, there will be no sustainable development or “sustainable human settlement” [UNDP, 1997]. Principles of good governance require the following: 1. Devising ways and means of equitably distributing national wealth – however little it may be; 2. Maintaining transparency and equity; 3. Devising ways and means of increasing national wealth to facilitate the sharing; and increase the quantity and quality of what is to be shared; this presumes that productivity must increase; 4. Avoiding the building of weak or failed states/governments (including local); 5. Ensuring organizational discipline and efficiency;

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6. Trying to innovate as much as possible in order to find solutions that are adapted to African problems and issues; 7. Fighting corruption by making it very costly to indulge in corrupt practices. 8. Uplifting the Rule of Law.

5.3 Educate and Focus Attention on Urgent Urban Challenges and Future Opportunities The need to educate leaders and the public on re-imagining sustainable urban development pathways is particularly urgent because “cities as usual” will not suffice. Despite strong track records of many local governments, cities in general are not well equipped to address emerging urban challenges. There is need to educate leaders and the public to focus their attention on the urgent challenges and opportunities of sustainable urban development in order to improve the lives of slum dwellers, provide access to basic infrastructure and services, protect local and regional ecosystems, and ensure resilience. Many cities are contending with rising populations, inadequate infrastructure and basic services, increasing pollution, aging infrastructure, and the need to meet lifestyle aspirations within planetary boundaries. Unless these challenges are addressed many poor cities could lock themselves into an unsustainable and unlivable future.

5.4 Promotion of Integrated and Innovative Infrastructure Design and Service Delivery The challenges faced by cities are interconnected and must be dealt with in an integrated manner. Promotion of Innovative infrastructure design, modern technology solutions, and smart systems offer tremendous opportunities for improving access to basic services and lowering their cost, increasing efficiency, reducing per capita consumption of environmental resources, and reducing pollution. And these opportunities can only be seized through integrated infrastructure planning processes that span multiple services, including water and sanitation, energy, transport, broadband communications, and housing. 5.5 Ensure Resilience to Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Cities are responsible for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions, as well as much of the activity to reduce such emissions. At the same time they are particularly vulnerable to temperature rise, rising sea levels, flooding and extreme weather events. Therefore ensuring integrated resilience planning and disaster risk reduction into city management and infrastructure design requires site-specific strategies and city-level targets that must be promoted throughout the country.

6.0 THE PLACE OF PHYSICAL PLANNING IN THE ATTAINMENT OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

Physical planning like other areas of human endeavour has a credible role to play if sustainable human development is to be achieved in any society. Urban planning has a central role in achieving sustainability (Wellbank, 1994). Though urban planning is a service and does not necessarily result directly into goods (Jiriko, 1998), it is judged by its product, i.e. the outcome of the implementation of the planning provisions and programmes. It provides a plan-document to be used for physical development of the human habitat. By implication urban planning provides the system for “building” the environment which is fundamental to the attainment of sustained control and development of the environment. Physical planning documents are vehicles for environmental development in the immediate term and set the direction of future growth. This is achieved through the use of a plans backed-up with many legislative guidelines and administrative reports. Therefore sustainable physical development and management of human settlement hinges greatly on the effectiveness of physical development plans. This involves the reconciliation of land uses, provision of the right site for

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the right use, control of development, provision of facilities, services and public goods, preservation, protection and conservation of resources, preservation of heritage among others. Planning has a positive catalytic role to play (McDonic, 1986) towards achieving sustainable development. Planning provides a plan-led system. Such plans provide sustainable and best sites for various human activities. To a very high level, physical planning forecasts and projects activities and relationships through a planning process which involves evaluation of the goals and objectives to be fulfilled to promote sustainable development. In essence, development plans, which are products of physical planning, are not just mere pieces of paper or collection of documents to be left to gather dust, but they are indeed an expression of the dream of a better future for human settlements. Every beautiful and functional settlement is usually preceded by good efforts devoted to physical planning and conscious implementation.

7.0 CONCLUSION Attaining sustainable human settlements is not a challenge that will be met overnight; not only is the process of providing people with adequate shelter complex and multifaceted, the need grows every day. What with the provision of physical and social infrastructure required to make the living environment functional? As each day unfolds we are confronted with challenges of sustainable living, which is why the question of livability of human settlements is the most current even in international circles. Human settlements continually have to deal with issues of movement and the adequacy, or otherwise of transportation systems; the health of the citizens and access to health facilities, mobility and the need for sufficient space for walking, in view of the harm that the sedentary life has caused to the health of many citizens; open spaces and the necessity for breathing fresh air, easily dispersing polluted air, making provision for sports and ensuring that the environment itself is not choking while ensuring space for meditation and quietude; the need to provide conducive environment for learning and making education attractive and the need for providing space for businesses and industry that support the economy. By implication, the word ‘settlement’ presumes a condition of stability. The search for sustainable human settlements is therefore a search for relatively peaceful environments where businesses can be conducted without any apprehensions. Nations of the world that have excelled in meeting this goal haven't stumbled on success. They worked to reach their desired goal. It is indeed a goal – something you aim at. Every desired goal gets to be achieved through planning; goals are planned, and then they are scored. Axiomatically, every human effort or investment that requires physical representation happens on ground. Without planning how they happen, there will be obvious confusion which is reflected in most of our settlements today. Until we have learnt to understand that planning brings order; until we have understood that order makes room for increase (economic buoyancy); until we have learnt that an ordered environment enhances ease of living and that disordered environments inflict pain and bring losses (of time, physical resources, psychological balance); until we have realized that physical planning, preparation and implementation of development plans are not negotiable, to achieve sustainable settlements, which are a reflection of buoyant economy and a vibrant business environment. Until then, we will either organize or agonize.

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8.0 REFERENCES

Adeniji, J. (1998). Future challenges of sustainable physical development in Nigeria in K. Adeniji and V.I. Ogu (eds).

Sustainable physical development in Nigeria. Ibadan: NISER pp 227 – 279. Adesanya, S. (1998). The physical development dimension of the sustainable development challenge in Nigeria. Adeniji and V.I. Ogu (eds). Sustainable physical development in Nigeria. Ibadan: NISER: pp 78- 92. Adeyemi Sam (2001). Lecture Series ( Organize or agonize). Mabogunje A. (2000). Professionalism, Leadership and National Development. A paper presentation at Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) annual lecture titled “Critical Issues in positive national development”. John L. S (2005). Planning Sustainable Urban Growth in Nigeria: Challenges and Strategies. Conference on Planning Sustainable Urban Growth and Sustainable Architecture, at the ECOSOC Chambers, United Nations Headquarters, New York, on 6th June 2005. Nwokoro, H.C. and O.M. Okusipe (2002). Urban Health and Urban Infrastructure: A Spatial Analysis of Low-Income Communities in Lagos Metropolis. The City in Nigeria, OAU Ile-Ife, 378

– 383. Oduwaye, L. (1998). Towards sustainable urban management in Nigeria in the next millennium. A proceeding of the 29th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners Makinde: pp 14 – 21. Oduwaye, L. (2000). Strategies for achieving orderly physical development in Lagos State. A workshop proceedings on Towards a better socio-economic and physical environment for urban and rural areas of Lagos State: Lagos: Frontline Consultants pp 64 – 81. Victor (2010). ‘Review of the challenges facing Nigerian economy: is national development possible without technological development? Journal of sustainable development in Africa. ISSN. 1520-5509. Vol. 12, No.5, 2010.