A recap on the Nigerian
environment and housing in 2015 saw many trend some exhilarating some
saddening. There were various incidence of building collapses, flooding, fast
pacing deforestation in Northern States of the federation, and other human
difficulties. The scenario of the climate change in practice has lead to many
environmental hazards in both developing and developed countries. There is no
doubt the turbulent and challenging factor that raised dust in every part of
the continent is a true reflection of what has happened in the
past. Various conventions such as the Kyoto protocol, Copenhagen , summits and recently, the Durban and paris climate change summit all made a wonderful conclusion as to
the way forward on the persistent challenges of the climate devourer. But
still, the implementation of its findings remains one factor to many in the
face of some nations whose countries are more affected. Were some sees it as
exploiting, given that many of the advance nation are the larger consumer of it
products in commercial quantity and in the alternative, environmental damages
is primarily affecting those mineral producing countries in developing Africa
counterparts, where it was reported to be the largest exporter of its mineral
resources to the developed countries mainly for commercial purpose.
In some thing that remain one big
setback to developing countries .painfully, reports indicate
that the global emission has high of it proportion in African
continent since the exploration process is here, the developed
countries has less burden since it only consumes it finished
product. What then could be proffered as workable mitigating process from all
this developments? Also, the threat to life and property by flood is now
becoming an annual event in many Nigerian urban centers. Report indicate that
every quarter of the country was virtually affected by floods as compared in a
very few location in1978, this as revealed is an increase of 60 percent over
20years.
The extension of the flood
accordingly, must have been as a result of urbanization. Adding to the above is
the fact that the occurrence of flood in Nigeria is becoming more frequent and
almost an annual event. This is an experience that is witnessed
internationally; hence Nigeria is not an exception. For, according to report on
world habitat, Rio in Brazil, its reveal increasingly, that there is evidence that what
was once considered a so called 100 years flood is now likely to occur once
every 50 years or even 20 years.it continues and its recognition of the fact
that weather patterns are changing as a result of the human contributions to it
effects. We are seeing more instances of severe weather, which recently caused
serious flood challenges in various parts of the states early this year.
Oduwaye, a physical planner, strongly believes in the use of mitigation
mechanism by all the state involved. Citing the scenario that occurred early
this year in ikorodu, he said, the incidence happened mainly as a result of
lack of communication with their counterpart in ogun state before the opening
of dam in the state which lead to destruction of life and properties. Adding
that the coming wet season should no longer meet the government unaware. In the
area of environmental sustainability, reports indicate that Nigeria is
currently losing about 350sqm of its land mass annually to the advancing desert in the
northern state of borno, yobe, katsina, sokoto, and Kano. It reveals
that 72 million Nigerians have no access to safe drinking water while 55.2
million Nigerian have no access to improve sanitation. A vital point here is
that much declaration has been made toward solving it as a result; it was
incorporated into international awareness at the millennium summit of the
millennium development goal targets that is expected to be achieved in few year
times. Yet, appreciable progress is still far fetching. Some initiative
of the government involvement at various levels is reported
to have remain an efforts not enough to stem it fast growing
implications, were if urgent attention is not given to this growing
treads, the inhabitants will pay dearly for it.
On the
housing front, a renowned urban expert, Dr Agunloye observed that Nigeria has
housing scheme and programs but that there is no clear housing policy. It is
not surprising, therefore, that such schemes and programmes fail to accomplish
their desired goals in the past and present. Noting that housing scheme require
a comprehensive housing strategy which he says remain a foundation for any
effective and meaningful housing policy as a laying foundation for the future.
The ultimate goal of this is to ensure that any proposed housing scheme or
programme in the context of the total urban development or redevelopment will
satisfy or lay a foundation for satisfying the housing needs and demand of the
target population up to a nationally pre-determined standard or level, based on
financial and other resources of the nation. He noted that the
present proposed policy on housing by the
government should include among others, a strategy of economizing on
the use of resources and avoiding the destruction of the existing assets;
exploiting the willingness of the people to contribute in kind and their
ability to contribute in cash to their housing. Agunloye said, adding that
providing a range of different standard of housing to match the resources and
needs of different income group and ensuring a reasonably equitable
distribution of available resources for housing between different in
come group remain inevitable if the present government is
indeed willing to ensure housing for all. The incidence cases of
building collapse has reported indicate that between 1983 t0 2007, there are
about 101 reported cases of building collapse were the numbers of
cases varied from year to year. It reveals that the cases have become a major
occurrence in urban center, particularly in Lagos, Ibadan and Kaduna. Also, in
the report, it indicated that death toll of about 376 life’s occurred within
those stipulated periods respectively. Until recently, a building collapse case
was reported along akoka, living behind two people caught in the trap, which
finally found lifeless after all effort was put together to bring out those
victims. In proffering solution to these ugly trends, Dr Olaseni, another housing
expert, is of the view that their is need to strengthen development control
laws. He said; situations were certificate of occupancy is not granted before
the commencements of building indeed encourage the persistence problems of
building collapse. While praising the present administration for strictly
applying that process in development of any buildings, believe the government
can still put more policies on ground to stem these persistence cases of
building collapse. He believes that their expectation as stake-holders should
not fall short of those outlined legal ingredients if collapse of building which
will enhance the reduction of the trend to a bearable level. Noting
that the control mechanism presently is limited to the aspect of development
alone which one can channel to the course of persisting cases of building
collapse in Nigerian cities.
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