UN-Habitat to partner Adamawa government on development master plan

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has developed a document, known as Adamawa State Special Development Strategy, which will support the state government to prioritise investments in its urban reform activities.

The document was developed after a special analysis of the geographical space of Adamawa to understand the human settlement patterns, migration and displacement drivers, and infrastructure, as well as land management issues among others.

The UN-Habitat Portfolio Manager for West Africa, Mr Mathias Spaliviero, who met Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on the master plan in Yola, last week, said the plan will create development locally, and achieve peace and social cohesion in the state. The UN-Habitat implemented the Sahel Resilience Project funded by the government of Sweden in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 12 states in Nigeria.

He disclosed that the development strategy will guide ways to prioritise investments in Adamawa State in terms of development corridors, and priority development areas in towns and cities.

“Adamawa State is urbanising fast because of movement of population is not just about displacement but also people from rural to urban areas, so, we believe that with the special development plan, the government will be able to prioritise investments, ” he said

The UN chief further disclosed that “UN-Habitat as a technical agency would like to establish a formidable relationship with Adamawa State to provide technical assistance on the priority development areas. “It is a long development plan, we are not working on emergency nor humanitarian, we are more development-oriented so the special development strategy that just shown can have a validity of 15-20 years,” he said.

Head, UN-Habitat Northeast office, Dr Okafor Christian, said the document will support the state in resource mobilisation, framing ideas, prioritising investments and building institutional capacities of the government.

He advocated the state government to finance the municipal plan for Greater Yola, Gombi and Numan master plans among others so that any organisation coming with investments into the state will find a master plan.

Responding, Governor Umaru Fintiri commended the UN-Habitat for putting together the master plan, which will assist the state in enhancing investments.
He assured full implementation of the master plan as the document will help to strengthen institutions of government to perform optimally for the benefit of the people.