‘Climate change, poor planning caused flooding’

October 2, 2012 by John Alechenu, Abuja  

 Chairman, National Planning Committee of the Nigeria Urban Summit, Mr. Onibokun Abimbola, has said climate change as well as lack of planning is responsible for the recent flooding in parts of the country.

Abimbola, a town planner, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.

Abimbola said, “There have been incidents of ravaging flood, collapsed buildings and security challenges in many quarters.

“Our towns and cities are not performing efficiently like their counterparts in many other countries due to attendant infrastructure and service deficiencies, poor urban mobility, increasing unemployment, chaotic housing shortages, among others.

“The problem is compounded  by the problem of rapid urbanisation currently estimated at between three and five per cent per annum, a rate that is higher than the natural annual population growth rate of 2.7 per cent.

“It is estimated that no less than 46 per cent of the current national population of 167 million reside in towns and cities.”

He observed that urbanisation should not be a problem when properly managed.

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 2 October 2012.