The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has urged the Federal Character Commission (FCC) to extend federal character principles to the equitable distribution of infrastructure, public services and economic opportunities nationwide.
The National President of NITP, Dr Ogbonna Chime, made the call while delivering a speech at the Federal Character Commission Workshop on the Implementation of the Federal Character Principle in Abuja.
The workshop, organised by the FCC in partnership with the Progressive Governors Forum, brought together local government chairmen and other stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening implementation of the principle at the grassroots.
Chime reaffirmed NITP’s commitment to collaborating with the FCC and other relevant stakeholders to institutionalise spatial equity in Nigeria’s national development policies.
He said the principle should guide the equitable provision of essential infrastructure and public services across the country’s 774 local government areas.
According to him, access to potable water, electricity, roads, healthcare, education and economic centres should be integral to efforts to achieve balanced development and strengthen national unity.
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“The Federal Character Principle, at its very core, embodies a profound spatial, social and developmental mandate that extends far beyond conventional interpretations,” he said.
Chime said sustainable national development would remain difficult to achieve as long as significant disparities persisted in the distribution of infrastructure and public services among communities.
He noted that while some communities benefited from relatively better infrastructure and services, others continued to experience inadequate access to basic amenities.
The NITP president stressed the need to strengthen local governance, promote equitable representation and ensure inclusive development, irrespective of geographical location, ethnic background or socioeconomic status.
He said every Nigerian should have equitable access to functional roads, healthcare facilities, quality educational institutions, economic centres and healthy public spaces.
Chime said town planning had a critical role to play in translating the federal character principle from a concept of representation into tangible development outcomes.
“As dedicated spatial planners, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners profoundly recognises that the pursuit and achievement of spatial justice constitute the immutable foundation upon which national stability, peace and progress are built,” he said.
He explained that town planning extended beyond the preparation of maps and delineation of boundaries, noting that it provided a framework for determining the distribution of infrastructure, services, economic opportunities and other resources.
Chime said collaboration between town planners and the FCC could help ensure that implementation of the federal character principle resulted in visible development across communities.
“If every local government has a master plan, the proper deployment of equitable planning will be appropriated,” he said.
He commended the FCC for organising the workshop, describing it as an important platform for advancing national unity and equitable development at the grassroots.
Chime assured the commission and other stakeholders that NITP was prepared to support efforts to integrate spatial equity into national policy and development planning.
He expressed optimism that the workshop would produce practical recommendations for strengthening local governance and promoting more balanced development across Nigeria.
