The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde has emphasized that the University and indeed the Management would continue to support the environment related professions through human capacity development as well as provision of facilities that could assist the Faculty of Environmental Studies of the University to compete and level up with its contemporaries within and outside the country.
Professor Olatunde gave this remark at the symposium to commemorate the World Town Planning day organized by the Faculty of Environmental Studies and College of Engineering which took place at Ibogun on Wednesday, 8th November, 2017.
Represented by the Provost, Professor J. O. Akinyemi, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the World cannot succeed in its developmental programme without a well established Town Planning measures which would rid the world of slums. He said that his administration was determined to focus on environmental issues within the University in order to beautify it.
While urging other stakeholders in the University to cooperate with his administration to launder the image of the University through his landscaping projects cutting across the campuses of the University, the Vice-Chancellor appealed for cooperation in this direction by all stakeholders.
The chairperson of the symposium, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ogun State, Town Planner (Mrs) Yetunde Dina gave a brief explanation on the relevance of the Planning profession in the society. She gave practical examples and real life cases of land use development, plan preparation and approval, development control and city management.
She elaborated on the need to improve on the use of information technology and capacity building in the advancement of the planning profession.
She urged students of town planning to see planning as a viable discipline that could not only put the wrongs right but sustain the rights always through compliance to planning regulations and standards.
She encouraged the students and town planners to be fair, diligent and firm in the discharge of their duties professionally.
Speaking in the same vein, the Corps Commander, Traffic Compliance Agency, Prince Olaseni Ogunyemi also joined others to educate the audience on the importance of residents planning their communities and environments in order to reduce or check road traffic congestion and air pollution. He condemned the issue of emission of carbon monoxide and its effect on the well being of the society. He urged the students to lift the level of town planning by being true advocate of a sound urban and regional planner to enable the society to grow in a healthy manner.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Dean, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Professor Bamidele Badejo in his welcome address traced and discussed the beginning of the World Town Planning Day to 1949 which was the fall out of the Second World War in 1945. He said the day started in Argentina, through Professor Carlos Maria Paoleta of the University of Buenos, Aires and is being celebrated in over forty countries on four continents with November 8th as designated day specially set aside for activities to give special recognition and attention to the ideals and benefits of community planning.
He highlighted the core responsibilities of planners and the planning profession and the basic requirements to be so addressed.
The day was marked by the presence of all stakeholders in town planning profession and relevant stakeholders of the built environment.
The theme for this year’s World Town Planning Day was “Inclusive Cities and Communities”.
