It will be interesting to know that IPA was formed by a consortium of three American firms: Planning Research Corporation; Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd; and Archisystems. Their aim was solely to win the worldwide competitive bidding by FCDA for the preparation of the Abuja Master Plan. After winning the bid and the successful completion of the project, they disbanded.
The first conference for the review of the Abuja Master Plan was held between November and December 1999. Interestingly, among the scores of professionals in the International Planning Associates (IPA) Team that prepared the Master Plan, only Prof. M. L. McNulty, from the University of Iowa could be found by FCDA to participate in the 1999 Review.
One of our episodes in August 2023 was titled “Abuja Master Plan Review Too Long Overdue”. Some of the necessities for the review were highlighted. More information and clarifications are now required due to the prevailing challenges, specifically, as it concerns the manner the city is now being managed. It is necessary to guard against diversions and validation of violations of the development standards, perpetrated glaringly for selfish benefits. Many of which are inimical to the wellbeing of the city. The recent floods are solid proofs.
We must understand that, reviewing a plan entails the use of new knowledge to enhance the existing plan and provide solutions to avoid future challenges. The fears in people’s minds, is the possibility of the review to create avenues that shall invalidate the existing land use requirements, in order to validate the land uses already violated by the current administration.
Meanwhile, among the many facilities that should be introduced in the review are cycle paths on the right of ways of all categories of roads. Previously it was not factored in our original designs. Cycle paths are peculiar facilities on right of ways of almost all modern cities, Abuja should not be an exception. As important as it is, it is not possible to insert it in the existing road corridors without disturbing the adjoining developments in the already built up districts. These should be targeted at new development areas to be created.
The city has now blossomed beyond the originally envisaged ultimate population projection of 3.1 million. But as we always write, the FCT is created with very large land area of 8,000km. sq. There is more than adequate space to allow planning for new areas for the expansion of the city to absorb as many as the new population increase. Intensifying developments in the existing developed area, or, introducing developments where it is not recommended is uncalled for. Simple common sense knows that it would automatically create more congestion and traffic bottlenecks.
No credible master plan review would seek to convert or approve the use of a stream channel or its buffers for physical development other than greening. Also there will not be any suitable corridor that can ensure that sewage flow by gravity from source of generation to the destination at the designated city sewage treatment plant. The land use plan for the city was designed taking into consideration of the existing natural drainage channels.
The gravitational flow of sewage to the Central Sewage Treatment Plant for the city, is taking advantage of the downward flow of the streams. It saves the city management the operational cost of acquiring and use of many pumping machines. All credible plans seek to maintain ecological balance with minimum disruption of natural courses, identification of constrains to developments and taking advantage of opportunities.
Despite all these facts, it is sad to observe the ongoing lack of decorum, glaring mismanagement and corruption in land administration. Very strange things are happening in the departments directly overseeing lands administration and management. Really, concerned stakeholders have many reservations.
According to the extant tradition by the FCDA, the broad land use plans of phases II and III were the primary guides to the productions of the districts plans. At each stage of the plan production the stakeholders in all the relevant departments and interested members of the public were invited to make observations before the next, up to the final stage. It is therefore not possible for any head of department to be unaware of the status of the land use plans of all the districts.
Unfortunately, it is now common for the development control to issue stop work order on an ongoing development which has no compliance with the development guidelines, but would subsequently be confronted with counteracting information from the URP, that the land use has been changed with a ministerial approval. It happened when the Wuye District hospital plot was converted to a housing estate.
Land use plans, that are products of professional stakeholders engagements, are now changed by unconventional ministerial fiat.
Truly, the engagement of JIKA a foreign firm for the review of the Abuja master plan was originally not by the Wike administration. But, the agitations against JIKA increased momentum because of the skepticism on the administration presently overseeing the review. Here is an administration that is supervising the renewal of order, yet it is violating the same order. The truth is, one cannot expect beautiful clothes from one that parades in tatters.
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