Lagos – A Structural Engineer, Mr Victor Oyenuga, on Tuesday urged state governments to demolish houses built near natural channels like river courses, lagoons or near the ocean.
Oyenuga told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that government should embark on awareness campaign to let people know that it was dangerous to build around such areas.
“The mudslide incident in Lagos could have been avoided if the government exhibited the political will to enforce town planning laws.
“The mudslide is a natural disaster but it is avoidable if government had valued the lives and property of its citizens.
“People should be properly educated and prevented from building in such areas.
“Also, some people deliberately build near natural channels. Such buildings should be demolished and the owners made to pay fines,’’ he said.
The engineer noted that people building along river courses was dangerous, adding that these were natural channels created by God which led one way or the other to the ocean.
“Blocking such natural channels without creating alternatives poses a great danger to the community as a whole whenever there is heavy rainfall,’’ he said.
According to Oyenuga, that is why the government should take adequate care to enforce its laws on urban planning.
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He said the government should ensure that it erected slope protection and retaining walls for mudslide-prone areas.
Oyenuga added that government should ensure that such slope protection was designed by structural engineers, adding that the protection would stop mudslide that hit the wall. (NAN)
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