In a statement by Austine Elemue, Special Assistant on Media, said the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners have bestowed the Envoy Extraordinary award on the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, for her meritorious service to the institute in particular and the nation at large.
Presenting the award to the minister at the 51st Annual General Conference held in Abuja, the national president, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Tpl. Lekwa Ezutah, said the recipient did not just attain excellence in her professional career, but excelled in spite of the numerous challenges common to all town planners, stressing that her determination to overcome obstacles has placed her at the top.
Ezutah, stated that the mission of the institute was to see man as the beneficiary of all development activities and promote a livable environment, healthy, friendly, efficient and economically viable, through ethical, professional and practices that was responsive to the societal needs and dynamics.
He, therefore, tasked town planners to imbibe a conduct and character that must be impeccable and emulative to others in the society, advising that members must be seen to be versatile, analytical, lucid and pragmatic in the discharge of their professional duties.
He said; “Today, we acknowledge and reward a professional icon of our generation for her performance. A performance rooted in focus, dedication, hard work, and a desire for excellence.
“Surely every town planner holds the dream of a career excellence in public or private practice, especially in meeting the physical development needs of the society. This and more have been achieved by the recipient”.
The national president also commended the recipient for creating the Directorate of Planning in Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), and involving planners in monitoring the distribution of palliatives to the underserved communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her response, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, expressed gratitude to her professional colleagues for the honour, just as she described the award as a tonic for greater service to the nation.
While thanking the institute for being focused in the discharge of their responsibilities, she, however, reiterated that lack of physical planning was the major cause of flooding in some parts of the country including the Federal Capital Territory.
She canvassed the involvement of town planners in the development of all major cities in the country as well as satellite towns, noting that the role of town planners cannot be over-emphasied in the development of any city.
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, described the award as well deserved, stressing that the recipient has demonstrated enough capacity to add value not only in her professional career, but also in politics.
