The Town Planning Registration Council of Nigeria, TOPREC, has formally presented the Award of the University with the Best Department of Urban and Regional Planning in Nigeria to the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA. The Award was received on behalf of the University by the Dean, School of Environmental Technology (SET), Professor Isaac Aje, supported by the Head, Department of Urban and Regional Planning (URP), Professor Joseph Basorun, at a ceremony in Abuja on Thursday July 25,2024 during the 37th Induction ceremony of new TOPREC members.
TOPREC, the regulatory body for the programme, had in a letter dated July 15,2024 informed the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, of the choice of FUTA for the award based on the results of the working accreditation visit by the body to all institutions offering the course in Nigeria. The Acting Registrar, TOPREC, TPL Uhiere Samuel Abayomi (fnitp) wrote, “On behalf of the Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC), the statutory body mandated to among others, determine standards of knowledge, training and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the Urban and Regional Planning profession in Nigeria, I am pleased to inform you of the Council’s consideration of your Institution as the best in the league of accredited schools in the 2023/2024 exercise.”
Receiving the award in her Office, the Vice Chancellor Professor Adenike Oladiji, congratulated the students and lecturers and the University on the feat which she described as remarkable. "On behalf of the management, staff and students of FUTA, I commend the Department of Urban and Regional Planning for making us proud again, having attained the same feat twice in the past. I have always said it when asked anywhere how we do it that it is God and people. I can beat my chest anywhere in the world that FUTA is blessed with rich faculties loaded with committed and dedicated staff and students willing and ready to learn. With the little resources at our disposal, we are doing wonders. I can assure you that with more resources we can do better. I want to reassure all our departments that management will equip them more as resources improve. I commend the Dean, Professor Aje and most especially the HOD, Professor Basorun, staff and students of URP for this great achievement," the Vice Chancellor said.
Presenting the award to the VC, the Dean, Professor Aje said "We all rejoice with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning for making us proud again having done so in 2014 and 2018. The outstanding performance of the Department lies in the quality of its staff and facilities. Fifteen of the twenty-one academic staff in the department are fully Registered Town Planners. Eleven of them are Professors. The products of the Department have attained significant and enviable positions in Nigeria and in the international arena. I commend the effort of the HOD, Professor Basorun, staff and students of the Department for this success."
He also appreciated the Vice Chancellor, Professor Oladiji whose tenure is attracting beautiful things to the University.