Flood Menace in Nigeria: Impacts, Remedial and Management Strategies

Flood menace in Nigeria have become a normal and re-occurring phenomenon which sometimes has devastating impacts on human livelihoods and infrastructural development. Causes of this problem such as rapid population growth, poor governance, poor drainage facilities and decaying infrastructures, lack of proper environmental planning and management strategies, poor practice of dumping waste/refuse and climate change coupled with inadequate preparedness have been traced and among others, human activities in terms of developmental involvements adjudged to be very important factors in accelerating the rate of this disaster which often leaves in its wake spread of diseases, loss of thousands of lives from various parts of the country and properties worth billions of naira being destroyed. The impacts of floods are more pronounced in low-lying areas. In more recent years, 2011 and 2012 appears to be the worst incidence of flooding in Nigeria with a lot of reported cases indicating how flood menace ravaged affected states of the country when water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon was released. Although the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had alerted Nigeria that there would be an above normal rainfall in strategic parts of the country which might lead to flooding incidents in 12 states of the federation, yet nobody gave consent to that warning. This paper provides an overview of how Nigerian cities have been affected by flood menace incidences as it takes a look at the devastating impacts, remedial and management strategies at curbing flooding in Nigeria. A review of literature on flood menace was done. The articles were accessed from public libraries, as well as online through internet search engines and relevant information extracted. Onsite assessment of some areas affected by flood was done and pictures taken with the aid of a camera. Flooding in Nigeria is a serious issue requiring the attention of all stake holders aimed at preventing and remedying its adverse effects which threatens human existence. Keywords: Flood, Menace, Nigeria, Infrastructure, Impacts, Remedial and management strategies

High Voltage Transformers and Elecrtomagnetic Emissions: Consequence on Students’ Health in Apata, Ibadan, Nigeria

The last decade has witnessed a remarkable growth in all aspects of modern technology such as mobile phones, wireless communication links, antennas, microwave ovens, and high voltage transformers which are sources of electromagnetic radiations (EMR). This research work investigates the effect of exposing building occupants to electromagnetic emission from high voltage transformers. The sample of this study is 150 students comprising 78 males and 72 females. Spectra RF3040 was used to measure magnetic flux density in the five schools used for this research. Measurements were also taken to determine the effects of electromagnetic emission on student's tympanic temperature, blood oxygen saturation, heart pulse rate and arterial blood pressure (diastolic and systolic). Tests on health situations were done indoor four times at (9:00 – 9:30) a.m. and four times at (1:30 – 2:00) p.m. each day. The results show from analysis that the measured values of power flux density were within slight concern limit. The gradual increase in tympanic temperature, heart pulse rate, and arterial blood pressure is an indication that EMR has adverse health effects on building occupants within 200m distance from such transformers. Recommendations were given. Keywords: High voltage, Transformer, Electromagnetic, Emission, Health effect

The impact of flooding on Nigeria’s sustainable development goals (SDGs)

Nigeria has Africa’s biggest economy and a population of over 200 million people. Nigeria faces numerous challenges as it struggles to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with flooding being the most serious with wide-reaching impacts. This paper highlights the impact flooding has on Nigeria reaching SDGs and enumerates the specific SDGs most directly impacted. A systematic literature review provides an overview of the relationship between flooding in Nigeria and the SDGs. It highlights the main causes of Nigeria’s flooding problem are man-made and advocates spatial planning as a suitable Flood Risk Management (FRM) strategy for the Nigerian environment. The paper calls for collaborative action by all concerned stakeholders to address the flooding problem and to help move Nigeria closer to meeting the United Nations (UN) 2030 SDGs. Most importantly, the evidence presented in this paper seeks to promote action on a national scale to combat the flooding in Nigeria and help the nation work more effectively toward achieving the SDGs