ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION OF OVER POPULATION AND RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION ON DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

The purpose of this paper was to examine the environmental implication of over population and rural-urban migration on development in Nigeria. Due to poverty and under development in rural areas, very many persons have migrated to urban centres in search of greener pasture thereby putting pressure on exiting environmental resources. The present excessively un-even population distribution between cities and town with only a negligible proportion of people living in villages in an index of economic backwardness of Nigeria as a poor nation. The paper pointed out the various indicators of underdevelopment to include food shortage, water shortage and health problem. Today it is very common to hear medical doctors embark on industrial action against poor welfare and ill equipped medical facilities thereby leading to crisis in the country while the rich and government officials seek medical attention outside the country. The paper highlighted the various environmental implications of overpopulation and rural-urban migration on development to include: Inadequate fresh water for drinking as well as sewage treatment and effluent discharge, depletion of natural resources especially fossil fuels, increased levels of air pollution, water pollution, solid contamination and noise pollution. Deforestation and loss of ecosystems that sustain global atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide balance is also another implication. The paper all called on government to promulgated appropriate laws to check overpopulation and migration. The media should create the needed awareness on environmental consequences and the same time educates the public on the need of limited family size. Nongovernmental organizations are called upon to carry out adequate sensitization and advocacy within urban and rural areas on the effects of environmental resource pressure.