Strive For Excellence, Groom Professionals - Fashola Urges TOPREC The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has urged the Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC), as a core custodian of the environment to continue in its pursuit of excellence so that thoroughbred professionals are groomed. Fashola spoke in Abuja at the official commissioning of the Council's office building, Thursday, September 17, 2022, The Minister who was represented by the Minister of State, Hon.  Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub, stated that sticking to core mandate of breeding professionals as Town Planners, would help tackle present-day challenges in the nation’s-built industry. He said: “How our towns and cities can be transformed and better managed in a robust, harmonized and wholesome manner to make them more livable, productive, secure, sustainable, and become centers of excellence ", should be your responsibility to achieve.  The Minister commended the Council for the historic stride, saying that the Management and Staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing join their voices with others to felicitate with TOPREC on this historic occasion. He added that, it speaks volume of their commitment to advancing the cause of the built environment and installing sustainable development in Nigeria. " Undoubtedly, with this befitting structure now in place, the former challenges of inadequate and none functional operating office space for the staff and Council Members have been resolved. Henceforth it will be better positioned to focus on upscaling its primary constitutional role of regulating the training and practice of Urban and Regional Planning for the benefit of the Built Environment in Nigeria “he said. Earlier, the President of the Town Planners Registration Council, Tpl Isyaku Kura said that the Office building being commissioned marks a significant milestone in the history of the Council and Town Planning in Nigeria as it would provide a decent and conducive environment for their duties.  “A building of this magnitude would not have come without foresight, commitment and discipline,” he said. He said that the Town Planners Registration Council was established by the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria CAP T7, LFN 2004 (Decree No. 3 of 1988) to regulate and control the practice of the profession of Physical Planning in its entirety.  Accordingly, he explained that the activities of the council are geared towards engendering functional, productive and sustainable physical planning activities in the country. While thanking the Honourable Minister for this feat, he pledged to lead the Council as a front burner in regulating and controlling town planning activities in line with the Council's mandate, adding that the new office complex would provide a conducive atmosphere to do that. It was a very colorful commissioning that was well attended. ...

Fashola Inaugurates Members Of Town Planners Registration Council Of Nigeria The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, CON, has inaugurated a new twelve members of the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC). The inauguration took place at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Works abd Housing, Mabushi, Abuja. Fashola, while inaugurating the new Council members,  charged them not to only uphold the standard and guidelines of the profession but raise them because it is only by doing this that the challenges faced in urban planning and development could be surmounted. He explained that the essence of constituting the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria was to ensure that the country has a professional council that would in turn ensure that the professional Town Planners are registered as members of the Council. The Minister also stated that the twelve members were representatives of their different states, adding that as more members are appointed from other states, they would join the council in accordance to the law. In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, FCI, noted that the presence of well - disciplined and adequately regulated professionals in the built environment, would improve the quality of output of the professionals and invariably contribute to the quality of the environment, construction, infrastructure and national development.   He said that, TOPREC, as a critical Agency of Government under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing had the statutory mandate to regulate and control the practice of the profession of physical planning in all ramification in Nigeria. “TOPREC Mandate includes: determining who are town planners as well as knowledge and skills required for registration of anyone who desires to practice the profession in Nigeria" he said Alkali revealed that the Minister approved the re- constitution of the new members of the Council after the expiration of the tenure of the former ones in consonance with the provision of Section 2(1) of the Town Planners Registration Council of Registration (TOPREC) Act 2004. In his remark, the President of the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria, Tpl Isiaku Mukhtar Kura, while encouraging the newly inaugurated  members to form  a habit to read and meditate on the Act that established the council,  explained that being  members  of the council was a call to service that would involve sacrificing their  time  and resources. Tpl Kura who conveyed the council's gratitude to the Minister for the periodic subvention given to it, also informed the Minister that the Council has been able to build a Secretariat at Jahi district in Abuja. The twelve TOPREC members inaugurated are; Tpl Dr. Simon Kanobi -Osoww Ajom, Cross River State, Tpl Danbaba Umar Idris,vNiger state, Tpl. Liman Gana, Borno State, Tpl. Ogunlewe Adebisi Adesoga, Lagos state, Tpl Aniekan Ubong Akpan Cross River,Tpl. Davies Tonte Joseph, Rivers State, Tpl. Aliyu Abubakar Mohammad, Jigawa state and Tpl Ogbugo Victor Filzgerald representing Delta state. ...

Minister Inaugurates National Habitat Advisory Committee ...... FG to address the negative impact of flooding - Fashola Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, CON has inaugurated an 11- man National Advisory  Committee on Habitat with the Permanent  Secretary , Works and Housing  Bashir Nura Alkali as the Chairman. Fashola performed the inauguration at  the 2022 World Habitat Day and World Cities Day held in Abuja.  The theme of the 2022 World Habitat Day is “ Mind the Gap, Leave No One and Place Behind" and that of the World Cities Day " Act Local To go Global" In his keynote address, the Minister also said, the report of the negative impact of the flood on roads , bridges and infrastructures nationwide was being compiled by his ministry. " I will be receiving the reports from all the Federal Controllers of Works across Nigeria whom we have asked to go round and assess the impact of the flood on the damaged bridges , roads  and infrastructures and put a cost to it , so that we can respond to people in distress and crisis" he said . In the same vein  Fashola said that the striking similarity between the theme of this year’s World Habitat Day “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind,” and that of the recently held 11th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, which had the theme “Housing our People, by All of Government and All Our People, tells us Nigeria is already in line with the habitat objective. Accordingly, he explained that  the initiatives of the Federal Government in housing affordability and acceptability and the impact of the construction industry on the people in employment generation. Explaining further he said that, the federal government is undertaking the construction of national housing programme in 35 states including FCT,  and called for the collaboration of all stakeholders since housing provision is essentially a collaborative effort by all levels of government and the private sector. On the situation of Cities globally, the Minister stated that cities account for 75 per cent of the world’s energy consumption and are responsible for over 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with transport, buildings, energy, while waste management forms the bulk of urban carbon emissions.“ He explained that  " The future of our planet depends on national, regional and local governments and organisations, communities, academic institutions and the private sector working together to create sustainable, carbon-neutral, inclusive cities and towns". Earlierin his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Works and Housing who was represented at the event by Director Highways Development Engr Ibi Terna said "as the world builds and consolidates the foundation of the New Urban Agenda , urgent steps are required to rectify past imperfections by recognising fully that development is an evolutionary assignment that cannot be entirely resolved by one agency acting alone". The theme of the 2022 World Habitat Day as stated earlier is intended to draw attention to growing inequalities and vulnerabilities that have been exacerbated by the triple "C" crises namely: Covid 19, Climate Change and Conflict. Tackling urban congestion and inequality have become an urgent global priority and Nigeria is not less concerned" he said. The statement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,  António Guterres read by Mr. M. Okunola said " this year world habit day focused on human living condition and we must pledge to share responsibility to one another so that no one would be left behind" In her remarks, the Executive Director, The United Nations Human Settlement Programme, Maimunah Mohammed Sharif, said “ The  UN Habit World City Report estimates that up to 163 million newly poor people now live in cities and urban areas " She said "if city managers have the right tools they can plan and take action to reduce the gap between the haves and have not , that way we will be able to create inclusive and resilient human settlements". The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGS ), Dr. Bala.Yusuf-Yunusa said Nigeria is already committed to improving the lives of it's citizens in many ways. He said " the economic sustaibility plan (2020 ) following Covid 19 pandemic , the National poverty reduction with growth strategy of 2021 and indeed the new national development plan 2021 -2025 have all been inspired by the SDGs and the cardinal objectives of this administration notably the economy, security , fight against corruption and lifting Nigerians out of poverty, so Nigeria is committed to improving the lives of the citizens “ In his goodwill message , the Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN)  Madu Hamman said “ We have to reflect on the sustaining challenges surrounding the humans settlement and our general environment as a people .” He said FMBN has established partneserhsip with various stakeholders to be able to deliver affordable housing and better environment for Nigerians The President of Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Ayuba Philibus Wabba who was represented by Dr Upah Benson said Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN ) should be strenghtend in order to serve people more efficiently and to also increase the capacity of Nigerian builders. Country Director UN -Habitat Urban Thinkers Dr Hajia Limeta underscored the contribution of women in providing sustainability of the environment. She said " No sustainable urbanisation without women agenda "   ...