It’s no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari, recently signed into law 16 Constitution Amendment Bills out of 35 of such Bills transmitted to him for assent by the National Assembly.
Some of these Bills include the State Assembly and Judiciary Independence Bills.
Going by some of the amendments, management of Railways in the country moved from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List, meaning that it is no longer an exclusive responsibility ofFederal Government, while the management of inter-state rail services will remain a responsibility of the Federal Government.
The amendment also removed the provision of electric generation from being the exclusive duty of the Federal Government andgives states the power to generate,transmit and distribute power within its domains.
The law also put an end to disputes on boundaries bordering the Federal Capital
Territory by correcting previous errors captured in surrounding areas.
Government is expected to enact a policy that will ensure food security and right to food for every Nigerian.
Taking a critical look at the interpretation of amendment bills and charting way forward, the Association of Women Town Planners in Nigeria (AWTPN), an arm of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has suggested the needed strategies for effective implementation of the new laws.
Some of these strategies, according to AWTPN, led by its National Chairman, Mrs Bello RisikatBukola, centered on the need for states to engage the right professionals in preparation or review Strategic Development Plans, Physical and
Regional Development Plans, Master Plans, Social-Cultural Heritage Plan and policy statement to enhance effective implementation.
The AWTPN’s National Chairman, in a press release, applauded President Buhari for assenting to the bills.
Charting the way forward, the association called on every state to prepare a policy statement on thepreparation of laws regulatingthe establishment andoperations of rail services.
She suggested that railway alignment/Right of Way(ROW) should be provided aswell as siting of train stations locations in the master plan.
Bello called for identification and recognition of all existing rail networks in all development plans by both the State and Local Governments for possible revitalization.
She wants states to work with relevant agencies, especially the Ministry of
Transport and Ministry of Works, while ensuring adequate setbacks andsecurity measures around raillines and crosses, adding that this should be well stated in the regulations.
“However,the management ofInter-State Rail Services only willremain a responsibility of theFederal Government” she said.
On electricity generation, the AWTPN Chairman suggested that the State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development (MPP&UD) and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources must commencethe preparation of subject plan for siting and distributing power.
She said that stations should be within each states for ease of accessibility andaffordability.
According to her, the state’s ministries should encourage other sources of power generation like Mini GasPower Generating Plants.
She called for the identification of existing locations of power stations and appraisal of the sustainability and adequacy for spatial distribution.
On the law mandating thePresident and Governors to submitnames of persons nominated asMinisters or commissioners tothe National Assembly and State
Assemblies within 60 days of taking theoath of office for confirmation bythe Senate and members of StateHouses of Assembly, the AWTPN boss urged all associations/institutes in builtenvironment including NITP totake advantage of political lobbyand engagement by showinginterest in the nomination, saying their services are highlyneeded in politics to run smoothly.
On boundary disputes, she called on states and the Federal Capital Territory to work with town planners and surveyors to carry out a holistic boundary delineation.
On food security, she suggested that the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH) should intensifyefforts on the completion of the National Physical DevelopmentPlan and that much emphasis shouldbe placed on food security and right to food for every Nigerian.
She urged all states to follow suit by preparing a physical development plan and policy toaccelerated comparative advantages of agricultural land in each state.
On the amendment of the names of local government areas hitherto misspelled in Ebonyi, Ogun and Kano States, she emphasised the need to prepare or review strategic development plans with a view to re-strategising and re-establishing existing growth pole or propose additional growth for sustainable development by town planners
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
