By Grace Ben Kato
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Kogi State Chapter, has expressed serious concern over the ongoing deforestation and indiscriminate removal of vegetation on Mount Patti, Lokoja, warning that the development poses grave danger to environmental sustainability, public safety and orderly development of the state capital.
The Institute raised the concern in a press statement issued at the end of its Monthly General Meeting held in Lokoja recently.
The statement, signed by the Chairman of the Chapter, Tpl Sani Daniel, fnitp, for and on behalf of the State Executive Council and members, described Mount Patti, as one of Lokoja’s most significant natural landmarks and an important component of the city’s ecological, historical, scenic and tourism heritage.
According to the professional body, continued indiscriminate clearing of trees and vegetation on the hill and its surroundings could expose the area to increased soil erosion and surface runoff, loss of biodiversity, degradation of the natural landscape and other environmental challenges.
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“As professional Town Planners, we recognize the strong relationship between physical planning, environmental protection, disaster-risk reduction, climate resilience, and sustainable urban development. The protection of environmentally sensitive areas such as Mount Patti should therefore be treated as an integral part of the planning and development management of Lokoja,” the statement said.
The Institute noted that vegetation on hills and slopes performs vital environmental functions, including stabilising soil, reducing erosion and surface runoff, protecting habitats, regulating local climate and contributing to a healthier and more resilient urban ecosystem.
It warned that uncontrolled removal of such vegetation could create long-term environmental and planning challenges that may be difficult and costly to reverse.
The NITP therefore called on the Kogi State Government and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to urgently assess the situation on Mount Patti and take appropriate measures to prevent further indiscriminate deforestation and environmental degradation.
The Institute whlie recommending eight measures to save the hill , call for immediate environmental and planning assessment of activities currently taking place on Mount Patti and its adjoining areas, strengthened development control and environmental monitoring to prevent unauthorised clearing, tree felling, excavation, construction and other activities capable of degrading the hill.
It also called for preparation and enforcement of appropriate land-use and environmental management guidelines for Mount Patti and its surroundings, comprehensive afforestation and reforestation programmes to restore degraded portions of the hill, with emphasis on sustainable indigenous tree species and designation and protection of environmentally sensitive portions of Mount Patti as conservation and ecological zones within the planning framework for LoLokoja.
The Institute stated the need for public enlightenment and community participation, to encourage residents, landowners and developers to appreciate the environmental importance of protecting the hill, integration of Mount Patti into the proposed contemporary Lokoja Urban Master Plan, with provisions for conservation, recreation, tourism, ecological protection and controlled development and establishment of an effective multi-agency monitoring and enforcement framework involving relevant planning, environmental, land administration and forestry institutions.
The Institute emphasised that environmental protection and physical development are not opposing objectives, stressing that with proper planning and effective development management, appropriate development can take place while preserving important natural assets for present and future generations.
“We appeal to all stakeholders to regard Mount Patti as a strategic environmental, heritage and tourism asset of Lokoja that deserves deliberate protection, restoration and sustainable management,” it said.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Kogi State Government, relevant agencies, traditional institutions, communities and civil society organisations in promoting sustainable physical development and protecting the environmental heritage of Lokoja and Kogi State at large.
“Protecting Mount Patti today is an investment in the environmental security, resilience and sustainable future of Lokoja,” the statement added.
