Prof. Christian Madu, a Professor of Environmental Management and Control, has cautioned governments, corporate organizations and individuals against building structures along coastlines in the country.
Madu, who is of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, gave the warning while speaking with the National Daily in Enugu on Friday.
He said the warning had become necessary due to climate change, which had led to global warming clearly visible by the current rise in temperature and level of the oceans and seas.
According to Madu, the rise in temperature and level of the oceans and seas will adversely affect human activities especially those living in or very close to the southern coastlines of the country.
The don called on government at all levels in states with coastlines to act now by denying building permits along the coastal lines.
Madu, who is a supervisor of lead researchers at the Centre for Environmental Management and Control, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, said “some of the coastal residents should be relocated’’.
“Pre-planning for emergency evacuation should be done in anticipation of flooding due to impact of climate change in the coastline,” he added.
Madu said there was need to develop holding shelters, provision of rescue and fire service operations and hospitals to attend to health emergencies when the impending disasters at the coastlines happened.
“With rising global temperatures and the warming of the oceans, a fallout of climate change; we can expect more natural disasters and damaging floods.
“We do not currently have the adequate infrastructure or the preparedness to respond to protect the victims.
“Emergency preparedness is also very weak and those living along the coastlines will be vulnerable,” he said.
The don said that land reclamation and building close to the coastlines should be temporarily stopped until the development authorities come out with an environmental resilient plan.
“It must contain good coastline embankment wall, excess water holding empty reservoirs, well-planned heavy water holding drainages and ensuring water channels are free from refuse and silts,” Madu said.
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