In the face of growing concern on the future of Urban area, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria, an expert in urban development has proffered solution to an effective and sustainable urban development.

In his paper titled “Planning For Our Common Urban Future”, Dr. Chika Obinna, who is of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) Port Harcourt, reviewed the challenges of urban living before concluding with the solutions.

According to him, Nigeria, like other developing countries, moves  to wards urban transition, which he christened ecumenopolis.

“Our planning must focus on sustainable use of space, improving urban governance, poverty reduction and environmental challenges”, he said.

In order to plan for a sustainable use of space, Dr. Obinna noted that urban growth occurs in small and medium-sized cities such as LGA Headquarters, pointing out that “a lot of emphasis needs to be placed on helping these cities grow sustainably”.

Taking Rivers State as an example, he said “serious attention should be given to the production of development plans for the other LGA headquarters outside Port Harcourt new city to ensure sustainable growth of those cities in paripasu with Greater Port Harcourt”.

He suggested that planners must be conscious of and plan for the spatial and socio-economic repercussions of the growth of new cities such as Greater Port Harcourt.

Sogbeba Dokubo