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Local authorities urged to engage in extensive town planning

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LOCAL authorities have been urged to engage in extensive town planning to attract investors to their jurisdictions.

LOCAL authorities have been urged to engage in extensive town planning to attract investors to their jurisdictions.

BY DUDZULE NDLUKULWANI

Speaking at the third Local Government Investment Conference (LOGIC) held in Bulawayo yesterday under the theme Local Authorities Ready for Investment, chairperson for the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Designs at the National University of Science and Technology, Tafara Madyangove, said town planning was part and parcel of the battle to attract foreign direct investment.

“Our framework being used in the planning is not in line with the changes occurring in our country, hence there is need for us to plan, noting that without planning, there is no investment to talk about,” he said.

Madyangove urged the municipalities to identify resources in their areas that may give them a competitive advantage.

“Cities need to position themselves, look at the opportunities and start maximising, also noting that one city is not similar to the other in terms of the resources they have, hence the need for each city to see what kind of investment each requires,” he said.

Chitungwiza town clerk and LOGIC chairperson George Makunde said lack of proper urban planning was one of the challenges faced by local authorities and has led to problems, including unemployment, overcrowding, traffic congestion and road accidents, informal economy and a weak public sector.

Chairperson for the Department of Rural and Urban Planning, Innocent Charisa, said there was need to embrace informal sectors within individual societies and ensuring that proper planning is done.

LOGIC is a combination of resolutions made by Urban Councils Association in 2016 for local authorities to take up the initiative to promote investment and local economic development.

The three-day event started yesterday and was attended by foreign and local investors.