Edo, Arctic to set up physical development agency

In a bid to develop a framework for urban development, the Edo State Government is collaborating with a firm, Arctic Infrastructure to establish a physical development management agency.

When established, the agency will lead the operational reform of physical planning, urban development and urban infrastructure planning in the state through the infusion of adaptable best practices and sustainability ideals.

The Guardian learnt that the Edo State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development is working on behalf the government to ensure the success of the project.

It was also learnt that the goal is to build a virile physical development management institution that can provide formidable platform for attracting and sustaining social and economic investments in communities through physical planning, spatial management and infrastructure planning.

The agency will also domesticate and sustain the ideals of Sustainable Development Goal 11, New Urban Agenda and African Urban Agenda.

Part of the project’s outcomes is to develop a mechanism that will allow effective collaboration between government and the private sector to monitor and manage physical development and infrastructure reticulation in the state.

The new physical development management institution will enjoy formation partnership with coordinate institutions in Nigeria, Rwanda, Germany and the Netherlands among other countries with strong focus on capacity building components.

Speaking on the development, Commissioner, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Edorodion Oye Erimona, said the new institution would address issues around settlement planning, development management, building construction standardization and compliance, and urban regeneration in the State.

He also said that application of smart planning process that will emerge from the process will be of huge benefits to Edo State in driving its urbanization and sustainability agenda.

On his part, the Project Director of the Arctic Infrastructure, Mr. Lookman Oshodi, said some of the highlights of the new institution is to deliver urban planning system through a web based interactive platform and the infusion of SDGs and African Urban Agenda ideals into its framework.

He emphasized that Arctic Infrastructure (AI), along with its partners, will work closely and attract both economic and social capital to the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen in order to strengthen its capacity to produce qualitative manpower that will drive urban and regional development of Edo State in the nearest future.

Rector of the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Professor Abiodun Falodun, in his part expressed the preparedness of the polytechnic to collaborate with private sector to make the school the hub of urban and environmental management, and geographic information science in Nigeria in accordance with the vision of the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. Other stakeholders expressed strong desire for the technical assistance project to provide framework in building the resilience of urban and rural communities in Edo State.