Environmental experts in the North-West have called for the strict enforcement of laws on preservation of the environment to check the recurrence of flooding.

Responding to a survey, the stakeholders said the lack of an ‘environment-friendly’ habit by Nigerians provides a conducive atmosphere for flooding.

They also faulted lawless environmental laws enforcement officers for failing in their responsibilities and also aiding and abetting practices inimical to the environment.

They warned of more flood disasters unless the habit of erecting structures on waterways, disposing garbage in drains and violating town master plans were checked.

The stakeholders also stressed the vital role that could be played by town planners, but lamented that most times, directives on doing the needful were hardly respected by individuals, and sometimes even the authorities.

Nurudeen Abdullahi, Territorial Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kano, said most environmental disasters could be attributed to unwholesome conduct of the people.

“The Federal and State Governments are doing their best but there is need for enforcement as early warning prediction alone is not enough.

“There is high resistance to warning predictions and we have people who always insist on doing things their own ways, no matter the danger; someone will say this is where my forefathers lived and where I was born, and will therefore not leave the area”, he observed.

Kabiru Getso, Kano State Commissioner for Environment also blamed occurrence of most disaster incidents to the recalcitrance of residents, who hardly heed to warnings on environmental hazards.

“The state government, through various environmental agencies, conducted a lot of activities since the warning was given by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), yet people considered it a joke.

“Government embarked on series of enlightenment to educate people on their expectations before, during and after the rainy season, but most residents never took the issue with utmost seriousness.

“Therefore, there is need to ensure the enforcement of laws bordering on management of the environment for people to be doing the needful,” he said.

Gloria Bulus, Coordinator, Network for Civil Society in Environment (NCSE), said strategic planning and synergy with all relevant stakeholders were responsible for minimal flooding in the state.

Gloria observed that the state was able to control to a large extent, ‘man-made’ hazards, just as she emphasised that flooding could not be completely mitigated as there were other natural causes.

Yahaya Mohammed, Controller, Safety Awareness and Environmental Support Initiative (SAESI), said that non-compliance with building regulations were some of the reasons for the minimal flooding experienced in the state.

An environmentalist with Kebbi State University of Technology, Aliero, Muhammad Idris, described the incessant flooding in some parts of the country as being ‘human induced’ and exacerbated by ‘human-nature interactions’.

“Nigeria’s flooding is mostly human induced and exacerbated by human-nature interactions; poor or non-existent drainage systems are a major cause of flooding. Many residential areas have no drainage system and rely on natural drainage channels,” he said.

He added that another factor is the unregulated urban expansion, saying that the country now witnessed a high urbanisation rate largely due to insecurity in some parts of the country.

“Nigeria is experiencing high urbanisation rate, largely due to insecurity, and without commensurate provision of urban infrastructure and amenities.

“Kebbi state in particular, agricultural lands are increasingly being converted to residential areas to accommodate housing needs.

“But there is laxity in the implementation of planning laws, resulting in the construction of projects on natural floodplains and storm water paths. This has exacerbated flooding.

“It is not uncommon for Town Planning officials to accept bribes and overlook issues; these may include unauthorised use of land and alteration of approved construction plans,” he added.

(NAN)