The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has identified climate change as a grave threat to the Nigerian economy, social welfare, among others.
He said that the government, in an effort to combat the existential threat, was taking steps to create adaptive Nigerian cities “for climate resilience” through the 2012 National Urban Development Policy.
Fashola made this disclosure while speaking on the theme, ‘2021 World Habitat Day and World Cities Day’ marking the 2021 World Habitat Day and World Cities Day.
He added that the government, besides the National Urban Development Policy, had embarked on other projects to tackle the ugly issue.
He said, “Nigeria currently experiences several challenges associated with climate change. These include extreme changes in weather conditions, desertification arising from southern encroachment of the desert affecting the eleven frontline States in the Northern part of Nigeria, and occurrences of natural disasters such as flooding, bush fires, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, threat to recreational waterfronts and inland gully erosions.
“These problems pose serious threats to security of human life, property, health, economic and social welfare.
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“Consequently, a demonstration of our commitment to mitigate these myriad of challenge that the Federal Government has been making effort to adapt cities in Nigeria for climate resilience through the on-going review of the Nigeria’s 2012 National Urban Development Policy.
“The Ministry embarked on this review process as a vibrant template that would effectively harness problems of climate change and urbanization in Nigeria and transform them into potentials for balanced all-round national growth and development.
“Although the pace of completing the review process was delayed by the challenges of managing Covid-19 Pandemic, the coming of the Pandemic has further compelled the need to quickly conclude and start applying the new policy for common good of all.
“Another clear indicator of our commitment is that we have activated the Roadmap for Nigeria’s Housing and Urban Development Sector and are in the process of producing a National Land Policy; and a strategic National Physical Development Plan to induce far-reaching reforms in land administration in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government is taking proactive initiative in this direction with the preparation of Physical Development Plans for some towns and cities as technical assistance to the States in the preparation of Strategic Regional Development Plans.
“The current strategy will provide a platform for the National Physical Development Plan to be prepared based on mutually agreed broad statements, standards and guidelines for physical development activities and reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions across the nation.
“To further support these efforts, the Federal Government is actively committed to the upgrading of urban slums across Nigeria through the Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading Programme of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
“Considerable strides have been made in ‘the execution of the Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading Programme to the tune of about N1.5bn between 2019 and 2020.
“In the last 5 years, the Ministry has successfully provided Solar Powered street Lights at Ohanku Street, Aba, Abia State; Namso Street, Kaduna, Kaduna State; and Bundu-Ama, PH, Rivers State; and Solar Powered borehole projects at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja; Ohanku Road, Aba, Abia State; Erusu-Akoko, Ondo State; Kurna Asabe, Kano State; Bundu-Ama PH, Rivers State; Oron, Akwa Ibom State; Yelwa, Kebbi State; Shaki, Oyo State; and Kpaklama, Delta State.
“The recent efforts made under the -Urban Renewal and -8ium Upgrading Proqrarnme ‘has resulted in -different- direct and indirect benefit a well an advanced current level of progress towards reversal of the expansion of slums across Nigeria and its impact on climate change.
“In light of the above, the Ministry in contributing to accelerating urban action for a carbon-free world has designed constructed and delivered a 1.52 Megawatts Solar Powered generating y tern that is providing uninterrupted power supply to 5 blocks housing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Federal Ministry of Environment.”
