Participants at the just concluded Archibuilt 2004 have stressed the need to arrest the growing squalor, decay and failures prevalent in Nigerian cities.
Archibuilt is an annual specialized forum of building materials and construction technology, organized by the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). Archibuilt 2004 which is the 15th edition of the annual event attracted about 240 participants..
Discussing the theme "Urban Regeneration", stakeholders in the building/construction industry unanimously agreed that there is a need to revive and reposition the urban areas of the country, considering the increasing rate of urbanization and its multiple effects on the cities. Such regeneration according to the stakeholders should focus on how to provide decent housing at affordable costs to the people, ameliorate the impact of pollution on the society, combat crime rate, safeguard urban life and investments, enhance transportation, healthy living and quality of life of the people.
Doing an overview of urban regeneration, Mr. Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, a former President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) noted that locally sourced and developed building materials are viable alternatives for effective urban regeneration, adding that the production of decent houses is one of the important ingredients for urban regeneration and that community/private initiatives in the pursuit of this, will encourage and enjoy government's participation.
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Mr. Ajayi also pointed out that community or self-help contributions or savings which is not entirely new in our society, is a viable, cheap and readily available source of mobilizing substantial capital for housing development, while community mobilization through group formations or cooperative organizations will provide credible platform for collaboration, cooperation and coordination of initiatives for housing development among participating non-governmental and governmental agencies and the beneficiaries.
Speaking on "Empowering professionals towards urban regeneration", Arc. Tunji Olugbesan said only good policies, proper legislation and continuous training of professionals can lead to their empowerment towards urban regeneration as well as the structuring of urban centres which require less regeneration.
Arc. Olugbesan noted that the absence of accurate and proper demographic data is an impediment to empowerment to professionals because planning becomes faulty, provision of essential services become inadequate and urban regions buckle under social pressure. He pointed out that health hazards become endemic, jungle laws take over from social order, while survival of the fittest takes over from communal behaviour, thereby making the professionals to lose steam, and their advice become watery.
Presenting a paper on "Surveying and Mapping needs for urban regeneration", Dr. Olusola Atilola, a fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) opined that in order to change the poor mapping status of the country, the nation should evolve a national policy on surveying and mapping which will define the surveying and geo-information goals, objectives, strategies and assure the coordination and the distribution of geo-data information for sustainable national development.
Dr. Atilola, former Lagos State Chapter chairman of NIS said the proposed surveying and mapping policy will be coordinated under the proposed National Mapping Agency, stressing that the goal of the mapping policy shall be the development of the personnel and instrumentation of surveying and mapping as well as the provision of geo-data information at various scales to cover the entire country
According to him, the data base should be driven by geo-spatial information system (GIS) in order to promote sound economic development, monitor the environment, plan and manage the built environment, promote meaningful and orderly development of all sectors of the economy as well as stimulate good and open government by making geospatial information available to the citizenry, the private srctor and government for the purpose of aiding the making of sound decisions on policies and development issues.
He further noted that the data-base shall foster the management of natural resources and the environment as well as enhance infrastructural development and management.
Delivering a paper on "Town planner in the context of urban regeneration: A review of the enabling Act, Mr. Ade Adebayo of the Department of Geography and Planning, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos said town planners have the major duty of effectively ensuring the compliance of both government and people to the need to preserve the aesthetic environment and achieve orderliness in space, pointing out that the law establishing the body clearly spelt it out.
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He said, "hence when areas are marked for demolition, it is expected that the town planner has effectively given enough warning as contained in development control measures and enforcement", stressing however that to achieve the desired urban regeneration in the country, enlightenment will be a major form of compliance.
Speaking on "Appropriate materials and technology for urban regeneration: Salient issues", Arc. Obadofin 'Yinka Dismento said the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has to live up to its responsibilities to ensure that all forms of malpractices in the manufacturing and marketing of building materials in Nigeria are effectively tackled.
Pointing out that there is the need for very high profile public enlightenment, which should be a multi-pronged affair involving all stakeholders in the building/construction industry, Arc. Dismento noted that sponsorship of amendments to existing legislations and enactment of new ones to ensure active participation of appropriate professionals in the conception and execution of physical development projects as particularly affect urban regeneration activities in Nigeria.
