An environmental expert, Mr Chikelo Nwune, on Monday urged government
at all levels to develop a land use plan to prevent flooding and other
forms of environmental degradation.
Nwune, who is a National Project Coordinator, Nigeria Erosion and
Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), told the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) in Abuja that the plan should be a roadmap for the future
development of neighbourhoods, districts, cities, and other defined
areas.
“Our attitude should not be just to go and demolish houses. We should
have land use plan and beyond land use plan, we should have what is
called Catchment Plan.
“Assuming the population of Nigeria becomes 500 million, the land mass
of Nigeria is not increasing; rather it is decreasing.
“If you go to some places because of gully, you will find out that
massive land has been lost and there is no way you can reclaim the lost
land.
“What you should be thinking is how you can use it for other purposes
either as a firing range or how you can create artificial lakes.
“But if you are talking about reclaiming the land you are talking about
another thing all together.“
