The earthquake is one of the most frightening and destructive phenomena of nature that comes with terrible aftermaths. The underground eruption is the result of a sudden release of energy in the earth’s crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes often occur in volcanic regions and are caused by tectonic faults and the movement of magma in volcanoes. It is estimated that about 500,000 earthquakes occur each year around the globe. Locations that are prone to the natural occurrences are such places like California and Alaska in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile and Peru in South America as well as places like Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, the Azores in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, New Zealand, Greece, Italy, India, China and Japan.
Nigeria has been fortunate to be spared of this natural disaster. However, human activities can set off the phenomenon. It is in the light of this that we are echoing the alarm recently raised by a water engineering expert, Mr. Olalekan Omojowa, who has cautioned the federal, state and local governments of the possible occurrence of earthquake in most parts of the country as a result of proliferation of borehole water drilling.
Speaking with Middle Belt Today after receiving an award from the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara state chapter in Ilorin last week, the hydrologist explained that the earth crust “is what the people are puncturing when they drill boreholes in their various homes”, explaining that when the earth is punctured more than necessary, all that is needed for earthquake to happen is just a shake from any source.
Mr. Omojowa, who is also the chief executive officer of NOVENA Nigeria Ltd., further warned: “Earthquake is a man-made disaster in waiting for Nigeria. It is not even very far for it to happen because the extent we have punctured the earth is too much. In this state, government alone has drilled more than 6, 000 holes and when you have a single shake from any source like a volcano just as it happened in Taraba, you can have molten magma coming, killing many people and destroying property. If we have 20, 000 holes in this place because expansion is going on, we are close to it and when it happens, it is going to be a national calamity.”
He then charged government at all levels to intensify efforts at providing potable water for the people to discourage private sinking of boreholes. It could be recalled that sometime last year, the minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, expressed a similar concern over the way and manner boreholes were being drilled indiscriminately across the land. But nothing seems to have been done to stem the tide. Water scarcity poses a worrisome challenge to the average Nigerian.
Owing to perennial scarcity of water potable water, individuals who have the means have resorted to self-help especially in the urban centres by sinking of boreholes. It is also public knowledge that some businessmen have cashed in on the situation by drilling boreholes for commercial purposes. Promises of boreholes have also become instruments of campaign by politicians, resulting in the indiscriminate perforation of the earth across various communities in the sub-urban and rural areas.
The cliché, “water for life”, captures the importance of this basic social amenity to the survival of mankind and its environment. The nation’s water policy does not favour the masses. This needs to be addressed urgently. Where boreholes and wells are not available, the rural folks would inevitably turn to the streams, ponds and rivers to source for their water needs. Consumption of water from these untreated sources comes with grave health consequences like diarrhea and other water borne diseases. While calling on the government at all levels to address this appalling situation, there is a compelling need to put in place a legislation to regulate drilling of boreholes. A stitch in time saves nine.
