NIGERIA-ENVIRONMENT: POVERTY BREEDS DISASTER

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

TOYE OLORI

LAGOS, Jun 1 1995 (IPS) - LORRY-LOADS OF HEWN LOGS AND WOOD FUNNEL INTO THIS SPRAWLING COMMERCIAL CAPITAL EVERY DAY ALONG THE FOUR ARTERIAL ROADS THAT LINK IT TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS. NIGERIANS PREFER TO COOK WITH GAS AND KEROSENE. BUT THEN IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, PRICES ROCKETED FROM BETWEEN 400-600 PERCENT, AND PEOPLE TURNED TO WOOD FUEL.

“THE FORESTS USED TO BE CLOSE TO THE FRINGES OF THE CITY BUT PRESENTLY THE NEAREST WOODLAND OR FORESTS IS ABOUT FIVE KILOMETRES,” SAYS ENVIRONMENTALIST ADEBISI TIJANI.

AS SOON AS THE NEW PRICES WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF GENERAL SANI ABACHA — KEROSENE UP FROM 2.75 NAIRA TO 12 NAIRA (ABOUT 27 CENTS) AND GAS TO 300 NAIRA FROM 50 NAIRA — THEY DISAPPEARED OFF THE SHELVES.

NOW, WHEN AVAILABLE, A 12.5 KG CYLINDER OF COOKING GAS FETCHES 600 NAIRA (ABOUT 22 DOLLARS), SOLD BY MIDDLE-MEN WHO IGNORE THE OFFICIAL PRICE.

THE SCARCITY IN THIS CITY OF SIX MILLION PEOPLE IS GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE LIKE MORENIKE MOJID. “I MAKE A LOT OF MONEY FROM SELLING FIREWOOD,” SHE SAYS.

WITH THE MONEY, MOJID, WHO IS NOW HER FAMILY’S MAIN BREADWINNER, HELPS HER HUSBAND, A LOW-PAID CONSTRUCTION WORKER, TO COVER THE SCHOOL FEES OF THEIR FOUR CHILDREN.

HER COLLEAGUE, MAMA SHERI WHO RUNS A CANTEEN HERE, SAYS SHE HAS STOPPED USING GAS “BECAUSE FIREWOOD IS CHEAPER, EVEN IF THE SMOKE AFFECTS MY EYES.”

SHERI SAYS SHE USED TO BURN ABOUT THREE CYLINDERS OF GAS EVERY DAY. “I CANNOT AFFORD IT ANYMORE CONSIDERING THE PRESENT PRICE.”

LIKE MOST URBAN NIGERIANS, SHE NOW USES A CUSTOMISED OIL DRUM TO COOK — DUBBED THE “ABACHA STOVE” — WHICH USES WOOD AND EVEN WOOD SHAVINGS WHICH ARE SOLD ON THE STREETS.

FIREWOOD MAY BE A CHEAP ALTERNATIVE FOR NIGERIANS GROANING UNDER THE EFFECT OF AN ECONOMY IOQLCRISIS, BUT THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY ENVIRONMENTALISTS WARN.

“THE RATE AT WHICH FORESTS ARE BEING DEPLETED CAN BE BEST APPRECIATED BY THE NUMBER OF LORRY AND TRUCK-LOADS OF WOOD THAT DISTRIBUTE FIREWOOD TO SELLERS ALL OVER THE CITY,” SAYS TIJANI. “IT WILL ROB US OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE SO DEAR TO OUR VERY SURVIVAL AND WELL BEING.”

IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, NEEM TREES WHICH USED TO PROVIDE SHADE, MEDICINE AND ACT AS A SHELTER-BELT AGAINST DESERTIFICATION, ARE FAST DISAPPEARING.

THE NATIONAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA, (NARESCON) SAYS “THE TREE-FELLING ACTIVITIES ARE HAVING A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS SOIL TYPE, MOISTURE, TEMPERATURE AND MICRO-CLIMATE AS WELL AS ON THE BIRDS, ANIMALS AND FISHES”.

IN THE ARID NORTH, THE DESERT IS ADVANCING AT A RATE OF 600 METRES PER YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS NOW OFFICIALLY ENCOURAGING TREE PLANTING.

IT IS HOWEVER FAILING TO IMPLEMENT THE VARIOUS EDICTS WHICH BAN UN-AUTHORISED TREE-FELLING, THE LIVELIHOOD OF INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.

NARESCON HAS ALSO OPPOSED A DECISION BY THE OGUN STATE GOVERNMENT TO CLEAR MORE THAN 10,000-HECTARES OF LAND ALONG THE FLOOD PLAIN AT ISHERI, A SUBURB HERE, FOR A HOUSING PROJECT FEARING IT WOULD FURTHER DESTROY FOREST LANDS.

NARESCON ACCUSED THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS. IT POINTS OUT ALTERING THE ECOLOGY OF THE AREA WILL EVENTUALLY IMPACT ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.