Leadership (Abuja)
Isaac Aimurie
7 October 2008
As the World celebrated this year's edition of World Habitat Day yesterday, the Federal Government through its ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, blamed the prevailing urban crisis occasioned by housing shortage, proliferation of slum and rising urban deficit, on the national development progammes which have over the years paid greater premium on economic lines without course to issues of physical development.
Minister of State for Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Chuka Odom, at a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the day, noted that this year's theme "Harmonious Cities," is pertinent and draws attention to different problems of rapid urbanisation, especially its widespread impacts on the total environment; unequal access to urban opportunities, insecurity occasioned by environmental disasters, perplexities that attend rights to urban land and housing, as well as crime and violence in cities.
The rapid tempo of urbanisation the minister maintained, "is dramatic and nearly intractable. Its manifestations and profound effects on the physical, social and economic fabric of society, have strong tendencies to induce disharmony.
"The starting point of re-establishing order and harmony in a rapidly urbanising environment like ours, is to conduct large scale assessment of existing situations and identify broad intervention measure."
According to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, the number of urban slum dwellers around the world has moved above one billion, making it clear that the proliferation of poverty was arguably one of the biggest development challenges, stressing, "no longer can we ignore the plight of slum dwellers who live in life-threatening conditions, nor can we hide from the fact that urban poverty and urban inequalities are arising around the world, in developed and developing countries alike."
In his address, the United Nation's Secretary General, Banki Moo, noted that urbanisation changes forever the way we use land, water and energy, if done well, it can bring people choices and help them thrive. But when done poorly, it reduces safety, despoils the environment and exacerbates the marginalisation of those who are already suffering and excluded.
The United Nations General Assembly in 1985 declared the first Monday of October each year, for the global reflections on the tasks of providing adequate shelter for all as well as making human settlements environment more livable.
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