CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Human
anxiousness as well as quest to improve survival chances and gain better
control over their environment has indeed succeeded through man’s constant
exploration, exploitation and alteration of the natural environment. This has
enabled man to achieve urbanization, industrialization and development in
general. These developments have not come without a very high price due to the
vindictive nature of the environment.
The
result or implication of human development is the evolution of serious
environmental problems such as deforestation, erosion, global warming,
flooding, pollution and recently climate change etc. these environmental
problems have prevailed more in the developed nations of the world and urban
centers in general. Flooding particularly has caused a lot of the world. This
research focuses on the problems and prospects of flooding in Nigerian cities,
using Selected areas in Lokoja as a case study.
In
recent times, many urban Areas in the Nigeria have been facing series of environmental
problems especially flooding. This is particularly the case with Selected areas
in Lokoja where flood has constantly caused destruction of property and
discourage socio-economic activities in the area. Selected areas in Lokoja is
the commercial and industrial nerve Area of Kogi state in Nigeria. Aba has a
very high population which has increasingly intensified human activities in the
area.
The
increasing persistence of flood occurrences in recent times has undoubtedly
attracted public awareness about the need to combat this environmental hazard
to improve the economic viability of Lokoja center, the study area. It is
perhaps the realization of this that prompted the Kogi state Government’s
decision to embark on the construction of a total of about 27 kilometers of
primary and secondary drainage channels which is expected to drain an area of
about 2000 hectares of land upon its completion (ministry of works Kogi state,
2010). It is also expected that the drainages still under construction would
supplement the already existing ones in the commercial city.
Experience
has shown however, that inspite of the increasing awareness in combating flood
hazard in Selected areas in Lokoja, the menace has persisted. This is because
past flood control strategies have not achieved the desired result. The failure
to achieve these results may in fact be due to lack of understanding of the
dynamic characteristics of the environmental variable that influence the
persistence of these flood and which is great importance in the formation of
effective flood–control policies.
Inability
of the state government to effectively control indiscriminate waste disposal in
the drainages through provision of incinerators coupled with the poor drainage
constructions going on, further worsens the flood situation in the study area.
These
intense human activities and high population family contribution to increase
the flood risk potential of the study area. Moreover, the physical attribute of
the study area in terms of its relief, geology and soil also favor flood
occurrence. Hence proffering solution to the flood situation in the study area
would involve an in depth understanding of this socio-economic and physical
attributes.
Flood
occurrences are always occurring in rainy or wet season from April to
September. Most areas that are more prone to flood are high relief areas which
are peneplain in nature.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
There
is indeed urgent need to provide reliable solution to the occurrence of
flooding in Selected areas in Lokoja, the study area. Therefore, attempts shall
be made to provide answers to the following questions which will arise in the
study.
· The physical nature of the study area Lokoja
and how it encourages flood occurrences.
· The diverse causes of flooding in Lokoja and
the most affected areas.
How these floods can be effectively
controlled, eliminated or even avoided to avert its impact on human activities
in the study area.
1.3 AIM AND
THE OBJECTIVES
This research is aimed at assessing the nature
and causes of flooding in Selected areas in Lokoja, and to provide reliable and
sustainable solutions to flood occurrences in Selected areas in Lokoja. To
achieve this, the following objectives are set for the research:
1. To determine the factors that are responsible
for flooding in Selected areas in Lokoja.
2. To find out the flood prone areas in Selected
areas in Lokoja.
3. To present a flood risk map of Selected areas
in Lokoja.
· To assess the major impacts of flooding in Selected
areas in Lokoja.
· To study with a view to establishing reliable
control and management measures of flood hazards in Selected areas in Lokoja.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTION
1. What are the factors that are responsible for
flooding in Selected areas in Lokoja?
2. Where are the flood prone areas located in Selected
areas in Lokoja?
3. What are the major impacts of flooding in Selected
areas in Lokoja?
4. What control and management measures of
flooding are more reliable for managements of floods?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
The
following are the significance of this research; as the research is supposed to
solve the following needs;
1. To be able to identify causes and sources of
flooding in Lokoja especially in Lokoja south, Lokoja North and sarkin norma.
2. To assess the effects and discomfort there
flood can have on individuals.
3. To enlighten the public on the dangers of
floods and its destructive nature on life and property.
4. To serve as a base for more research work on
the problems and prospects of flooding in urban Areas of the world.
5. To identify and map the various flood prone
areas in Lokoja.
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