Mitigating Building Plans Approval Process through e-Planning Application in Southwestern, Nigeria (Published)
In developed nations, the planning agencies and regulatory bodies endeavor to take into consideration the needs of the people by producing better housing for a better and a healthier life. This was indeed the priority of the government of Ondo State after its independence from the British. With the recent export of COVID 19 to the world, getting things done at people’s comfort becomes necessity to ensure social distancing stipulated by policy makers. This study was carried out to provide a mitigate measures for building plan approval processes in southwest, Nigeria using Ondo State as a case study. The study examined the current building plans approval processes practiced in the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MUPPUD), Akure. Random sampling method was used in selecting applicants using the number of plans approved between May to September 2023. It was observed that, it takes longer time for building plan to be approved and the client needed to visit the office to fast track the approval process. Despite the fact that applicants have access to internet facilities through the comfort of their own, none of the planning approval information is online to ensure speedy process. The study hereby focused on modernizing the process through the application of e planning in order to improve speedy approval processes, to facilitating planning activities among government officials and associates and to ensure shared centralized services that are accessible by all. With this, if all the recommendations are well address and implemented, the mode of building plan approval in the region will be quicker, easier and users friendly.
Keywords: Housing, ICTs, e-planning, plan approval, planning authority