No matter the priorities of each country, areas such as
education, economics and social development, health and environment still await
sustainable solutions. This requires a creative application of democratic
principles and practices to tackling both local and national imperatives.
Quality governance, with an eye on environmental sustainability is one sure way
of, not only solving a country’s priorities, but also achieving the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG).
Environmental sustainability is critical because without it,
the achievements of the rest of the goals may be short-lived. The fact is that,
economics depend, to a large extent, on environmental resources.
Scared by the unsustainable lifestyle in Nigeria, the
Chairman of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Chief Philip Asiodu warned
that “Economic downturn is nothing compared with a global ecological downturn
and the disasters that will come with it.” Thus, if we think this warning by
the retired technocrat is alarmist or untimely, then we may have to consider
the impact of climate variability on the economy of Kenya; between 1997 and
2001, its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth dropped from 4.6 per cent to 0.3
per cent. The key factor is that the downturn leads to inadequate investment in
sustainable infrastructure to control floods or store water for use during draught.
The question is, as nations continue to have their fare
share of environmental problems like flood, hurricanes, pollutions, droughts to
name a few, what is our beloved country putting in place at the Federal, State
and local government levels to prevent, or mitigate the threats to the
integrity of our ecosystem? While Nigerians are yet to recover from the shock
arising from last year flood disaster in Lagos and Ibadan, and a more
terrifying flood which claimed over 50 lives and property worth millions of
naira just hit Jos, Plateau State. If that level of flooding disaster could
happen in Jos, what should we expect in flood-prone areas like Niger, Oyo,
Ogun? What should we expect in flood-plagued city of Lagos.
For instance, the Gov. Babatunde Fashola administration in
Lagos, is doing his best to clear drainages, but his best is not enough, for
some reasons. First, the source of the flood is trans-boundary. The flood from
neighboring states of Oyo and Ogun empties into it.
Secondly, there are numerous settlements occupied by the
urban poor which lack drainages. Successive administrations in the state has
failed to construct a comprehensive drainage system. Thirdly, as a coastal,
commercial and civic city, its huge population is overburdening the few available
working infrastructure. The encroachment of human settlements unto floodplain
areas increases the vulnerability to flood.
If you take a trip to some of the rural communities in
Anambra and Edo (North), you will see what erosion has done to the quality of
life of the people. In most cases their livelihood, as subsistence farmers, are
threatened. It is either the path to their farms, markets, or that of their
streams has been taken over by erosion.
In virtually all the eastern states and some south-south states,
the soil fertility is gone and their successive state governors have not been
concerned about food production like their colleague in the North and West.
Consequently, fertilizers have been scarce. It was the newly elected governor
Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who recently commenced the distribution of
fertilizers in the state directly to farmers.
The degradation of the environment of oil producing states
of the south-south is an old song, yet nothing much have changed in the
livelihood of the people in spite of budgetary allocations to the region. Many
of these communities are yet to have access to sanitary infrastructure and
quality maternal care.
Poverty still pervades across most northern states due to
desertification and lack of poverty-oriented policies. Their case is presently
worsened by insecurity occasioned by the recent Boko Haram insurgence.
In no distant time, this will adversely impinge on the
agricultural productivity of that region. It is sad to note that in most of
these Nigerian communities, many of the breadwinners are people on less than $3
dollars a day income. How many of our state governors and local government
authorities can boast of projects that are environmentally sustainable. Housing
estates and market projects in state capitals are often showcased by many
governors. Yet, they are offered to citizens at unsustainable prices. Some
states have built schools and even some Federal government MDG schools are
situated in flood plains, thereby making such projects unsustainable.
If the searchlight is turned to the government at the
centre, the picture is that of contradictions. Too many environmental agencies,
yet no action. Too many environment summits and conferences, yet little
technical capacity. Too much efforts towards aforestation, yet making Kerosene
unaffordable. Too much talk on power sector reforms, and advocacy for energy
efficiency, yet inappropriate pricing and non-availability of power. Too much
grants received, and budgetary allocations appropriated, yet no funds released
to execute sustainable projects.
Good governance entails the awareness by those in power of
possible ecological and sociological breakdowns, putting in place ways and
means of minimizing their effects. It also entails their monitoring to ensure
the adoption of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) by private sector concerns
in their domains.
Sustainable development, therefore, depends largely on the
quality of governance and political will. There is a compelling need to
mobilize the required political will at all levels of government. It is also
necessary to mobilize all relevant stakeholders in the work.
As Borge Brend, the former Nowegian Minister of Environment
aptly puts it, “Developing countries need to assign priorities, draw up
strategies, invest in human resources, and implement poverty oriented policies.
Good governance (That is, anti-corruption policies), democracy building, and
respect for human rights are crucial to combat poverty and to make development
sustainable.”
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
No comments:
Post a Comment