The Delta State Government has proposed N10bn for the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal in the 2027 budget to strengthen urban development, planning regulations and monitoring of building activities across the state.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Renewal, Hon. Sunny Tataobuzogwu, disclosed this on Thursday after the ministry’s bilateral budget discussions with the Ministry of Economic Planning in Asaba, the state capital.
Tataobuzogwu said the ministry would intensify efforts to ensure that buildings and other developments complied with approved physical planning regulations and existing master plans.
He said the government was also working to address illegal developments and ensure that building approvals presented by developers were genuinely issued by the ministry.
“We are working to ensure that the problem of illegal developments becomes a thing of the past. With the measures being put in place by the ministry, we believe we can achieve better results,” he said.
The commissioner expressed concern over cases where individuals presented building approvals that might not have been issued by the appropriate authorities.
He said the ministry was strengthening its verification process to enable residents to confirm the authenticity of their building approvals.
Tataobuzogwu also said the ministry was working to regulate the activities of town planning consultants by ensuring that those operating in the state were properly registered.
He said some individuals presented themselves as consultants without being known to the ministry or having their professional credentials verified.
“We want to know who is practising and ensure that only qualified and properly registered professionals are involved in the process,” he added.
On flooding and developments obstructing natural waterways, the commissioner said the government was undertaking drainage and waterfront projects to address some of the challenges.
He noted that waterfront reclamation required proper planning because such areas were naturally prone to water accumulation.
He said the government was also executing drainage projects in different parts of the state, including the Panam area, to improve water movement and reduce flooding.
The commissioner said the ministry would continue to strengthen monitoring and enforcement to ensure that buildings were not erected in violation of approved development plans.
He added that the ministry’s goal was to promote properly planned cities and ensure that developers obtained the necessary approvals before commencing construction.
“We want to see a ministry that continues to make progress and cities that are properly planned and developed.
“Our priority is to ensure that before people begin construction, they obtain the necessary approvals and confirm that their proposed developments comply with the existing master plans,” he said.
