By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
An environmental expert, Engr Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, has attributed the cause of incessant flooding in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to population explosion.
He spoke to TPCN on Thursday in his office at the Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt.
Engr Olu AndahWai-Ogosu, who has been teaching graduate and post-graduate students in the Institute of Geosciences , RSU, free of charge since 1998, as part of his contribution to human development and facilitation of a healthy environment, said that as more people relocate to Port Harcourt in search of greener pastures, they will naturally look for houses to live in and in the course of building, the natural setting of the city is distorted, natural water channels are blocked and flood situations are created.
“Flood can be exacerbated as a result of poor urban planning. When water channels are interrupted, there will be a backflow of water and this is one of the reasons for flooding in Rivers State. Most of our cities have not been properly planned. Here, people build and lands are allocated without regard to the topography of the city. When you abuse that natural setting, flooding occurs,” he said.
He also blamed the rampant abuse of rights of way in Rivers State as another reason for the frequent flooding in the state, noting: “All the right of ways has been abused because of over-population. This brings about slums.”
The environmental expert warned that more flooding-related hazards loom in the future if the various tiers of government do not make provision for housing facilities.
“If you abuse the natural setting in the course of building, you’re looking for trouble in the future. The local government areas have been ineffective in this case. The government should provide housing to address the issue of over-population. People build houses at random; no access for you to even enter your house; no good drainages,” he lamented.
Engr Wai-Ogosu, who is the immediate past president of Nigeria Environmental Society (NES), Rivers State chapter, further explained that flooding can occur whenever there is a heavy downpour of rain as was witnessed yesterday (Wednesday, 3rd July 2019) in Rivers State. He also added that coastal upsurge can cause flooding.
On the way forward, Engr Wai-Ogosu said that civil society groups and non-governmental organisations should partner with the state government to make implementable policies that will address the issue.
“When there is flooding, farms are destroyed and there will be a scarcity of food. Flooding also throws up waste, dangerous materials and substances that are hazardous to health. There is also the issue of human displacement. The government should initiate policies that are implementable. There are so many industries and estates producing waste.
“Rivers State ought to have an effective waste management agency and an effective planning mechanism,” he explained.
