Olusegun Ariyo
A recap on the Nigerian environment and housing in 2024 saw many trends, some exhilarating some saddening.
There were various incidences of building collapses, flooding, climate change, fast-paced deforestation in the Northern States of the federation, and other human difficulties.
The scenario of climate change in practice has led to many environmental hazards in both developing and developed countries.
Undoubtedly, 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 Baku Cop-29 all made a wonderful deliberation and 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.
Some see it as exploiting, given that many of the advanced nations are the larger consumers of its products in commercial quantity and in the alternative, environmental damages that are 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 something that remains one big setback to developing countries. Painfully, reports indicate that global emission has a high proportion in the African continent since the exploration process is here, the developed countries have less burden since they only consume it as a finished product.
What then could be proffered as a workable mitigating process from all these developments? Also, the threat to life and property by flood is now becoming an annual event in many Nigerian urban centres.
Reports indicate that every quarter of the country was virtually affected by floods as compared in very few locations in 1978, this has revealed an increase of 60 per cent over 20 years.
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 floods 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 a report on world habitat, in Rio, Brazil reveal increasingly, there is evidence that what was once considered a so-called 100-year flood is now likely to occur once every 50 years or even 20 years.
it continues: ‘the 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 state early this year.
Dr Adebayo Adeolu, a Geographer and physical planner strongly believes in the use of mitigation mechanisms of all the states involved. Citing the scenario that occurred recently in Ogun state Specifically in Isheri Arepo Axis, he said, the incident happened mainly as a result of a lack of communication with their counterpart in the state before the opening of the dam which led to the 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 states of Borno, Yobe, katsina, Sokoto, and Kano.
It reveals that 72 million Nigerians have no access to safe drinking water while 55.2 million Nigerians have no access to improved sanitation.
A vital point here is that much declaration has been made toward solving it; it was incorporated into international awareness at the millennium summit of the Sustainable Development Goal targets that are expected to be achieved in a few years ahead. Yet, appreciable progress is still far-fetched. Some initiative of government involvement at various levels is reported to have remained an effort not enough to stem its fast-growing implications, where if urgent attention is not given to these growing trends, the inhabitants will pay dearly for it.
On the housing front, a renowned urban expert Dr Oyewole fagbohun, observed that Nigeria has a housing scheme and program but that there is no clear housing policy. It is not surprising, therefore, that such schemes and programs fail to accomplish their desired goals in the past and present.
Noting that housing schemes require a comprehensive housing strategy which he says remains 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 for housing by the government should include among others, a strategy of economizing 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.
Fagbohun adds; ‘’providing a range of different standards of housing to match the resources and needs of different income groups and ensuring a reasonably equitable distribution of available resources for housing between different income groups remain inevitable if the present government is indeed willing to ensure housing for all’’.
The incidence cases of building collapse reported indicate that between 1983 and 2007, there were about 101 reported cases of building collapse and the numbers of cases varied from year to year.
It reveals that the cases have become a major occurrence in urban centers, particularly in Lagos, Ibadan and Kaduna. Also, the report, indicated that a death toll of about 376 lives occurred within those stipulated periods respectively.
Until recently, a building collapse case was reported along Orile iganmu, after all, the effort was put together in bringing proffering solutions to these ugly trends.
Dr Olaseni, a housing expert, is of the view that there is a need to strengthen development control laws. He said; that situations where a certificate of occupancy is not granted before the commencement of the building indeed encourage the persistence of the problem of building collapse. While praising the present administration of Lagos for strictly ensuring that the process of development of any buildings is put to standard, believe the government can still put more policies on the ground to stem these persistent cases of building collapse.
He believes that their expectation as stakeholders should not fall short of those outlined ingredients if stemming the collapse of the building will enhance the reduction of the trend to a bearable level.
