The Global Climate Change And Why Nigeria Need To Be Worried

AVM (RTD) AKUGBE IYAMU MNSA fsi 

PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE PRACTITIONERS 

CONSULTANT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ANALYST ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND COMMENTATOR ON NATIONAL ISSUES

The glaciers and permafrost are melting fast and Europe is warming up. This is concerning because the entire northern hemisphere is a connected web where temperatures and ocean rise can move at break neck speeds. Nigeria is witnessing bouts of higher temperatures and rapid rainfall similar to what Nepal and Tibet had before the catastrophic outbreak of flooding. Scientists note that the region experienced unusually warm temperatures prior to the event, leading to rapid snow and ice melt.

Nigeria should be worried because isolated landslides are becoming more frequent and dangerous across the country. With an average of 6 inches rainfall around central Nigeria and our poor environmental management, we are courting disaster of unmanageable magnitude. Hear this:

The catastrophic flash flood in the Nepal-Tibet border region was triggered by a massive glacial collapse and ice-rock avalanche that crashed down from near the Langtang Lirung peak in the Himalayas. huge section of glacier ice and rock broke off at high altitude, registering a 5.2 magnitude seismic event that was initially mistaken for an earthquake. The massive mass of falling ice and rock plummeted onto the valley floor, generating an immense amount of water and picking up heavy sediment.

The disaster courting actions across Nigeria is more visible in Lagos and Abuja where the relief lines and canals were shrunken from more than hundred feet wide to less than 5 feet. As if that was not enough, they have not been desilted nor cleared of debris and garbage. Hear this:

The material temporarily dammed the Lhende Khola river system before bursting and sending a destructive, high-speed wall of water, mud, and debris down into the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

Abuja is toying with a dangerous situation of reclaiming hills at all cost for development. The developers and FCTA are permitting what should be avoided. The northern hemisphere is becoming more unstable than the others and further destruction of nature stability will result in catastrophic floods across the the country as predominantly experienced across the hemisphere. Hear this:

Nepal has many natural disasters because its fragile young mountains sit on an active tectonic collision zone and face extreme weather made worse by climate change.

At this point, what should be uppermost to involved and relevant agencies should be how to protect the 340+ dams across the country. Specifically, Kaigimi and lower Usuma Dams despite government assurances need to be maintained and safety standards improved. Relevant government Authorities must be working to procure modern safety tools and automated water-level gauges for better monitoring.