…Hails Wike’s vision
From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Former university don and United Kingdom-based architect, Sam Orlu-Akwu, has said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has overstretched its optimum population projection of 3.1 million and, therefore, requires credible and equitable urban governance.
Also, he has applauded the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for the steps he has taken to actualize the Abuja Master Plan.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the upcoming conference on ‘The Built Environment’ (The City as a Socio-Economic Ecosystem), Orlu-Akwu said he was happy that the minister had commenced the process of cleaning the rot that had engulfed the city over the years.
He urged the minister to take further step by reviewing the Master Plan in line with the international best practices.
Orlu-Akwu said: “To address the myriad of growing urban challenges, Abuja requires an efficient, credible and equitable system of urban governance. l, therefore, call for a review of the Abuja Master plan.
“Going by professional standard, all master plans are subject to review every 25 years. Abuja is nearly 50 years now. Thus, the defence of the Abuja Master Plan among others, must also include the periodic reviews, and their formalisation as new rules to govern the implementation.
“The optimum population projection of 3.1 million targeted by the Abuja Master Plan has already been exceeded and is still soaring, thereby overstretching the infrastructure and services.”
According to him, in the original concept, the city was to be developed in four phases, but due to the skyrocketing demand for land by developers, specifically residential, a fifth phase was introduced.
“Also, in the Master Plan, the outermost limits of the city were the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) and Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) on the North and South of the city respectively. But, many big districts have already been developed outside these limits.
“The areas that were originally considered as regions have been integrated into the city. There is every need to respond to the rapid growth of the city.”
Orlu-Akwu called on the federal government through the FCT minister to set up a Technical Committee for the review of Abuja master plan.
He said there was no need for the unnecessary bickerings concerning what the minister was doing to reconstruct and beautify the city that would become the pride of all Nigerians.
According to him, the inability to accept changes of the status quo has been the cog in the wheel of our national development.
“There is no gainsaying that the Federal Capital Territory is drifting gradually to becoming an urban slum. The city has been abused, bastardized and mismanaged over the years and if care is not taken, it will begin to decay.
“It is in urgent need of surgery to regain its original concept. This will definitely require a decisive, firm, dispassionate and unbiased action. There is no doubt that the former governor of Rivers State is equal to the task. This is not the time to talk about religion and ethnicity. Abuja is a melting point of all Nigerians.”
He explained that apart from structural recovery, the city would need to move from mere diplomatic and commission collecting centre to a socio-economic-cum-self-sufficient hub and a true symbol of national unity.
Orlu-Akwu also advised that the Abuja city-gate ground should be redesigned to become a money-making national tourist centre with artefacts and exhibitions depicting Nigeria’s cultural variety.
He said: “It should be a place of culture and history, like Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The Eagle Square doesn’t by any means measure with world class Squares, like Plaza Mayor in Madrid; Zocalo in Mexico City; Grand Place in Brussels; Tiananmen Square in Beijing; Saint Peters Square in Rome, and others.
“These are national monuments and edifices. And for a modern city like ours, what we have as a square is a big shame.”
The Uk-based architect called for concerted effort and ideas to help those in power to succeed in their assignments instead of fighting them.