Ucheoma Urges Town Planners to Safeguard Owerri Master Plan, Enforce Development Standards

Town planners and development professionals in Imo State have been urged to preserve the integrity and heritage of the Owerri Master Plan while enforcing high standards in development projects across the capital.

Barrister Raymond Ucheoma, FNITP, Managing Director of the Imo State Housing Corporation (ISHC), made the call during a courtesy visit by the Chairman and Executive members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Imo State Chapter.

Describing the Owerri Master Plan as a “monumental gift to the built environment,” Ucheoma noted that the plan, which has endured for over 40 years, successfully integrates the old and new sections of the city, maintaining historical character while encouraging modern expansion. He urged planners to resist substandard practices and prevent violations that could undermine the city’s development.

Barrister Ucheoma also highlighted the pressing issue of high rents in Owerri, calling on the Institute to collaborate with the Housing Corporation to make housing more affordable. He emphasized that the housing deficit could be mitigated through policies encouraging private housing development.

Assuring that ISHC would continue enforcing professional standards in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Architects and the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Ucheoma committed to sustaining a liveable and well-planned Owerri.

Earlier, TPL Austin Ugoh Ukanwa, FNITP, Chairman of NITP Imo State, lauded ISHC for its role in upholding the Master Plan but expressed concern over substandard estate developments. He called for stronger measures against developers engaging unqualified personnel and urged policies to improve housing supply, particularly for artisans, without disrupting residential areas.

The courtesy visit included all executive members of the NITP Imo State Chapter and the management team of ISHC.