By Umar Jafaru Omeiza
With a deep sense of concern and civic responsibility, I write to draw the attention of relevant authorities, stakeholders, and the people of Ajaokuta Local Government Area to a growing crisis that threatens the sustainable development of our communities — the glaring absence of a structured and enforceable town planning framework.
For too long, land allocations in Ajaokuta have been executed without adherence to standard urban planning principles. This neglect has led to chaotic settlement patterns marked by poor road access, insufficient space between buildings, and the lack of a coherent layout to guide community growth and infrastructure development.
What is more troubling is that this situation persists despite the presence of a Department of Works, led by a Head of Department (HOD), along with officers who are ostensibly responsible for overseeing such matters. Their silence — or inaction — raises serious questions about the effectiveness of existing administrative structures.
Let it be clearly stated: the current pattern of physical development in Ajaokuta is unsustainable, unsafe, and poses a real threat to the future socioeconomic wellbeing of our people. It obstructs ease of movement, hampers emergency response, frustrates infrastructure investment, and diminishes both the aesthetic and functional value of our environment.
This is a clarion call to the Department of Works, the Town Planning Unit (if it exists), the Local Government Council, traditional rulers, and community leaders to urgently assume their responsibilities. There must be immediate and coordinated efforts to:
Establish and enforce a functional town planning framework
Review and regulate all ongoing and future land allocations
Design and implement a comprehensive road and infrastructure blueprint
Sensitize the public on the importance of organized settlement and the dangers of unchecked development
We must not allow the errors of the past to shape the future of Ajaokuta. This is a pivotal moment to restructure, realign, and reposition our communities for orderly urban growth. It is not only a necessity — it is a duty we owe the next generation.
Ajaokuta deserves better.
The people deserve order.
The time to act is now.
Jafaru writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.