POPULATION GROWTH, RESOURCE(S) CONSUMPTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN NIGERIA (AN EVALUATION) Introduction The importance of population growth,

the resource consumption and environmental sustainability is increasingly taking international centre stage beyond the national boundaries. In academics, the question of population growth has also assumed important discuss and research. Most academic institutions are devoting much of its grand research to that field which further underscores the importance of this subject matter in view of the dwindling economic resources which humans rely upon for existence. The increasing environmental degradation has further created more fears in the minds of the academics, the nation-state governments and the international community. Much of the concern over environmental issues stems from the perception that we may reach a limit to the number of people whose needs can be met by earths finite resources. This may or may not be true, given the potentials for new technological discoveries, but it is clear that continuing on our present path of accelerating environmental degradation would severely compromise the ability of the present and future generations to meet their needs. A slowing of population growth rate would help ease the intensification of many environmental problems. However the rate and timing of fertility declines and thus the eventual size of the world population will largely depend on the commitment of governments to creating economic and institutional conditions that are conducive to limiting fertility. Rapidly growing population in Nigeria has led to land, water and fuel-wood shortages in rural areas and to urban health crises stemming from lack of sanitation and clean water. The government of Nigeria is not unmindful of the consequences of unregulated, unplanned fast track growing population amidst dwindling economic and natural resources and increasing environmental hazards. As a result, certain steps are being taken and planned family systems that conduce with the meagre of economic resources are encouraged. The works of NGOs like Planned Parenthood Federation (PPF) in that direction has been commendable. However, the fears over growing population should actually not be if the government takes the necessary steps towards educating the population on the need for conservation and efficient management of the scarce resources, on the need to stop environmental degradation and on the appropriate use of water and land resources for the optimal benefit of the greatest majority of our peoples. The seriousness of this subject is further highlighted by the UN demographic studies and the latest release which put Nigerias population at 158 million by October 2011 and at about 730 million by 2100 at the current growth rate. It underscores that the problems will remain the struggle for water and food. The growth report was not peculiar to Nigeria alone as it stated that by 2100 the current African population must have tippled

and it stated that by October 2011, the African population could have hit the 1 billion mark. THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT NIGERIA ACQUIRE The concept of a "resource" is a human-centered concept. In order for something to be considered a resource, it must be perceived to have value by humans. This is why we can talk about changes in the use, meaning, and distribution of resources in particular environments. Nigeria is a country endowed with so many natural resources like water resources, mineral resources, forestry etc. Water resources Water is a resource that is needed by all humans and most other forms of life. Water is so crucial to humans that it often influences human settlement patterns. Access to safe water is a critical factor in Nigerian public health. This is why the poor state of Nigerias water supply is so important. The most damaging drinking water-borne illnesses are typhoid, cholera, and diarrhea. Other human diseases are spread merely through contact with contaminated water. Bathing water illnesses include bilharzia (another name for schistosomiasis), guinea worm, and roundworm. Drinking and bathing are not the only methods through which water-borne illnesses are spread. Contaminated water is often used to wash foods like fruits and vegetables. This often provides another channel for diseases to spread. Besides immediate household use, water is an important resource for transportation and electricity generation. Nigeria produces approximately one-half of all its electricity through hydro-dams. The Kainji Dam in west-central Nigeria is the source of most of this hydroelectricity. In terms of transportation, Nigerias rivers play an important role in the countrys transportation system. Because Nigeria is a relatively well-watered country, it has an abundance of rivers. It should be noted, however, that the flow of rivers fluctuates seasonally, depending on both regional rainfall regime and human uses of river water. Land Resource Land is perhaps the most important production input. Ownership affects land use, farming systems, institutional structures, ecological conditions, adoption and use of technology, food production and self sufficiency, and overall wellbeing of the rural and urban population. Poverty and resource misuse is linked because of the pattern of land distribution, which often favors the rich class. The rich have access to land, which is less prone to degradation or erosion. In addition, the rich class has the economic resources to invest in and improve the land. However, poor farmers continue to till a marginal resource base despite increase in their number. In many countries, projected population increases superimposed on exiting land holding pattern will result in an incredible increase in poverty derived pressure on the environment with accelerated erosion, deforestation and desertification along with continued loss of the genetic resources need to provide steady stream of new seed varieties (Food 2000) (1987) Land use coupled with the effort of small farmers is the key instruments for achieving sustainable increases in yield and productivity. However, insecurity of tenure, especially among small-scale farmers, has been known to act as a disincentive to the conservation of resources,

including reforestation and soil conservation projects. This is so because farmers are not willing to make necessary investments for which they may be unable to reap future benefits. Of all social reforms, land distribution is perhaps one of the most difficult to initiate and see through but without it, resource conservation and hence food security and poverty elimination will not be met and sustained. Forest Resources Major Source of Energy for Cooking Rural Urban 78% 20% 12% 70% 10% 7% 17% 15%

Wood Kerosene Wood-imported stove Other

One important determinant of fuel wood use over the last several decades is population growth. To the extent that people do not acquire their energy needs from non-wood sources, greater population growth leads to greater cutting of trees for fuel wood. While this basic argument is an accurate assessment for many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, it is important to evaluate the role of humans in managing tree resources. In Nigeria, there are indications that people are quite capable of managing their tree resources without outside, bureaucratic intervention. The region surrounding the northern city of Kano provides an excellent case study of fuel wood management. One study of the Kano densely-settled zone indicated that tree numbers rose substantially during the period 1972-1981 but has declined in recent years. Mineral Resources Nigeria (surface area: 923,800 sq. kilometers; population: 129.9 million) is an immensely mineral rich country with every state liberally endowed. Who is not blessed in Nigeria? This seemingly innocuous question begs for an answer because not since the Europeans discovered the wealth of Africa has such greed driven wickedness been witnessed as has been visited on the people of the Niger Delta of Nigeria because of the discovery of crude oil in their lands and waters. Why these laser beams focus and fixation on a single resource? Is it because neither the government nor the people know that there are resources in every nook and cranny of the country, which if properly exploited are capable of generating as much revenue as crude oil? Mineral exploitation and mismanagement of solid mineral resources alongside the neglect of other economic sectors, for example, agriculture and tourism, has remained a recurring bane against Nigeria since independence. The Biafran War and the more recent struggles in the Niger delta are indicative of a broader problem within Nigeria as a whole. Quite simply, how should the oil and natural gas resources of Nigeria be utilized? How should the profits

from these resources be distributed both socially and geographically? How can these resources be developed without destroying the lives of people within production zones? These are questions that are very much in debate in contemporary Nigeria. Regardless of the resolution of these questions, it is clear that the presence of oil in Nigeria provides an important linkage between this West African country and other parts of the world. In particular, approximately one-half of Nigerian oil flows to the huge gas-guzzling American economy. Because of this flow, American car owners are very much connected to issues of resource use in the distant country of Nigeria. THE LINK BETWEEN CONSUMPTION POPULATION GROWTH AND RESOURCE

The Rapid population growth in Nigeria coupled with high levels of consumption and irresponsible corporate decision making, have created a number of social and political tensions around the country. This link between population growth and natural resources has shown that consumption will vary locally because growth occurs unevenly across the globe. Over the course of the 1990s, Nigeria has had an increased population growth of about 120 million. The ever-accelerating human consumption of natural resources lies at the root of many of our environmental problems. Current consumption patterns stress limited natural resources, contribute to global warming, and create wasteful and even toxic byproducts that affect the quality of life and the health of communities around the country. Add population growth to the environmental mix, and it becomes increasingly clear how the health of the ecosystems we depend on for survival are being compromised. Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, has stated that, With the imbalance growing between population numbers and vital life sustaining resources, humans must actively conserve cropland, freshwater, energy, and biological resources. There is a need to develop renewable energy resources. Humans everywhere must understand that rapid population growth damages the Earth's resources and diminishes human well-being. Pamintel(1998). Clearly speaking, Western Nations have been the key driver of climate change so far. Between 1950 and 2000, the United States was responsible for 212 gigatons of carbon dioxide, whereas India was responsible for less than 10 percent as much. So it is clear that the richest people on the planet are appropriating more than their fair share of "environmental space." Yet their lifestyle is increasingly what the rest of the world aspires to. Nigeria is Africas most populous nation; one out of every five people living in subSaharan Africa lives here. Its population growth rate is above three percent and rural to urban migration is making the countrys cities some of the largest in the world. Although Nigeria receives considerable revenue from its large multinational oil industry sector, this money rarely trickles down to the populace who are generally poor and growing poorer. This combination of expanding population and increasing poverty puts increasingly

severe demands upon the natural environment, the institutional structures and the resources available to manage them. The technical capacity to deal with the enormity of the problem is generally weak and the lack of enforcement of (and compliance with) existing regulations make for huge institutional obstacles when trying to effectively tackle environmental issues.

POPULATION GROWTH, RESOURCE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

CONSUMPTION

AND

The rising population growth in Nigeria can lessen her quality of life because it:

destroys resources, such as water and forests, needed to sustain us slows the dynamics of a healthy economy decreases the level of biodiversity upon which we depend causes elevated crime rate due to drug cartels and increased theft by people stealing resources to survive

As the century begins, natural resources are under increasing pressure, threatening public health and development. Water shortages, soil exhaustion, loss of forests, air and water pollution, and degradation of coastlines afflict many areas. As the worlds population grows, improving living standards without destroying the environment becomes a global challenge. In Nigeria currently, resources are consumed much faster than they can regenerate and this calls for an urgent need to improve the living standards of Nigerians. As we humans exploit nature to meet present needs, are we destroying resources needed for the future? In the past decades in every environmental sector of Nigeria, conditions have either failed to improve, or they are worsening:

Public health: Unclean water, along with poor sanitation, kills over 2 hundred people each year in Nigeria. Air pollution also does its own harm and kills a lot of people as well. Heavy metals and other contaminants also cause widespread health problems. Food supply: Will there be enough food to go around? The population has been growing faster than food supplies. Population pressures have degraded some 2 thousand hectares of arable land an area the size of two states in the country.

Freshwater: The supply of freshwater is finite, but demand is soaring as population grows and uses per capita rises. Freshwater distribution in most rural areas of Nigeria has become so difficult in recent times. Coastlines and oceans: Half of all coastal ecosystems are pressured by high population densities and urban development. A tide of pollution is rising in the countrys seas. Ocean fisheries are being overexploited, and fish catches are down. Forests: Nearly half of the countrys original forest cover has been lost, and each year another 10 thousand hectares are cut, bulldozed, or burned. Forests provide over 25% of the countrys economy annually and are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems. Yet, current demand for forest products may exceed the limit of sustainable consumption. Biodiversity: The earths biological diversity is crucial to the continued vitality of agriculture and medicine in every country and perhaps even to life on earth itself. Yet human activities are pushing many thousands of plant and animal species into extinction. Two of every three species is estimated to be in decline. Global climate change: The earths surface is warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, largely from burning fossil fuels. If the global temperature rises as projected, sea levels would rise by several meters, causing widespread flooding. Global warming also could cause droughts and disrupt agriculture in every part of the world including Nigeria.

More so, ironically, another source of environmental stress is the persistence of poverty in different regions of the country. An estimated 70 million people in Nigeria survive on incomes of less than $1 per day (measured in terms of purchasing power parity). Poor slum dwellers in cities, who lack the most basic sanitation facilities, do not have the luxury of worrying about environmental pollution. In rural areas, poor farmers tend to live in the most marginal, fragile environments where they may be forced to sacrifice long-term sustainability for short-term survival, overexploiting croplands, pastures, and forests (UNFPA 2001). Land degradation has also become a serious issue in terms of environmental sustainability. Population pressures and inappropriate farming practices contribute to soil impoverishment and erosion, rampant deforestation, overgrazing of common lands and misuse of agrochemicals.

BIULDING A FUTURE The main population issues; rapid growth, resource consumption and uneven distribution, when linked with issues of environmental decline, pose multiple sets of problems for policymakers. The very nature of these interrelated problems makes them virtually impossible to deal with in balkanized bureaucracies accustomed to managing only one aspect of any problem. Population and resource issues require integrated, strategic management, an approach few countries are in a position to implement. While the current world trends are not indicative of any realistic solution to human overpopulation during the 21st century, there are several mitigating measures that can be applied to reduce the adverse impacts of population growth on the countrys environment. All of these mitigations are ways to implement social norms. Population growth in Nigeria and all over the world is an issue that threatens the state of the environment in the above-mentioned ways and therefore societies must make a change in order to reverse some of the environmental effects brought on by current social norms. In societies like China, the government has put policies in place that regulate the number of children allowed to a couple. Other societies have already begun to implement social marketing strategies in order to educate the public on population growth effects. Nigeria has started its own awareness on family planning. The intervention can be widespread and done at a low cost. A variety of print materials (flyers, brochures, fact sheets, stickers) needs to be produced and distributed throughout the communities such as at local places of worships, sporting events, local food markets, schools and at car parks (taxis / bus stands). Such prompts work to introduce the problem so that social norms are easier to implement. Certain government policies are making it easier and more socially acceptable to use contraception and abortion methods. An example of a country whose laws and norms are hindering the global effort to slow population growth is Afghanistan. The approval by Afghan President Hamid Karzai of the Shia Personal Status Law in March 2009 effectively destroyed Shia womens rights and freedoms in Afghanistan. Under this law, women have no right to deny their husbands sex unless they are ill, and can be denied food if they do. All of these examples use principles of social psychology to show how a strong correlation to the damage to the planet caused by the rapid population growth. RECOMMENDATIONS Projections of future resource requirements and environmental stress are worrying, even alarming; whether the focus is on population numbers alone or on the effects of poorly planned economic development. It is not easy to predict the future magnitude of environmental problems in Nigeria, but issues of land degradation, habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, water scarcity, and water and air pollution have already reached crisis proportions in some places of the country. Unless significant measures are taken to incorporate environmental concerns into agricultural development, urban planning, technological innovation, industrial growth,

and resource management, the situation is likely to worsen in the future. At the international level, technological innovation and the transfer of technical and management skills will play a major role in alleviating environmental problems. At the national level, political and economic priority setting will be essential. And finally, slowing down population growth as soon as possible will be a key component of any effort to protect the natural resources and environment. Population growth continues for many years after fertility reaches replacement level, so the sooner fertility can be brought down the sooner the process toward stabilizing population numbers can begin. When looking at current and future environmental concerns in the country, the number of people to be fed, clothed, housed, transported, educated, and employed may not be the only issue, but it is an issue that cannot be ignored. As a matter of fact, the natural and social sciences are nevertheless crucial for developing new understanding so that governments and other institutions can act more effectively, and for developing new options for limiting population growth, protecting the natural environment, and improving the quality of human life. Therefore policy making and implementations are important, such that will provide advice on:

Strategies and tools for improving all aspects of education and human resource development, with special attention to women. Conditions for human development, including the impediments that result from economic inefficiencies: social inequalities; and ethnic, class, or gender biases. Cultural, social, economic, religious, educational, and political factors that affect reproductive behavior, family size, and successful family planning. Global and local environmental change (affecting climate, biodiversity, soils, water, air), its causes (including the roles of poverty, population growth, economic growth, technology, national and international politics), and policies to mitigate its effects. Improved family planning programs, contraceptive options for both sexes, and other reproductive health services, with special attention to needs of women; and improved general primary health care, especially maternal and child health care. Transitions to economies that provide increased human welfare with less consumption of energy and materials. Improved mechanisms for building indigenous capacity in the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences, and management in developing countries, including an increased capability of conducting integrated interdisciplinary assessments of societal issues. Technologies and strategies for sustainable development (agriculture, energy, resource use, pollution control, materials recycling, environmental management and protection). Networks, treaties, and conventions that protect the global commons.

CONCLUSION There is a need to control population growth in the country. Special efforts should be made for educating the general mass and local leaders about the adverse effects of large population through specially designed IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities. And as a matter of fact, rapid population growth continues to be a matter of concern for every country and it has manifold effects, one of the most important being environment degradation. The outcomes of excessive population are industrialization and urbanization. This study reveals that rapid population growth has led to the overexploitation of natural resources. The deforestation has led to the shrinking of forest cover, which eventually affects human health. The considerable magnitude of air pollution in the country also pulls up the number of people suffering from respiratory diseases and many a times leading to deaths and serious health hazards. The situation is also similar for water pollution, as both ground water and surface water contamination leads to various water borne diseases. From the various effects of human beings to the environment, discussed in this write-up, it appears that if human beings want to exist on earth, there is now high time to give top priority to control pollution of all types for a healthy living. Therefore in order to increase green cover and to preserve the existing forests in Nigeria, afforestation and social forestry programmes should be implemented at the local level. Further, measures to control air pollution should be intensified throughout the country. Wastewater treatment plants be established in accordance with the need of time and its usage should be encouraged. The heavy penalty should be imposed on industries disposing off the wastes into the river. Moreover, the landfills are to be properly managed to prevent ground water contamination. Since slums are one of the major sources of water pollution proper measures should be taken to facilitate the slums with water and sanitation facilities. More emphasis should be laid on compulsory environmental education at the school level in order to make people aware of the environment protection. The environment protection should not be a responsibility of government alone but mass and local leaders should be encouraged to make dedicated efforts to eradicate the environmental problems. To sum up, it may be emphasized that the environment is neither a free gift of environmental goods and services, nor it can be thought of as just a sink for depositing of waste products from houses, industries and other sources. It is the need of time to protect environment for the present and future generation.