Former Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in Enugu state, Engr. Chigbo Obealor, has identified the widespread use of concrete and interlocking stones in residential compounds as a major contributor to flooding and the depletion of groundwater across many Nigerian communities.

Obealor spoke in Enugu shortly after he was honoured by women of the Nibo Community, Enugu Branch, for his contributions to community development and professional excellence.

He argued that the growing trend of paving entire residential compounds with concrete prevents rainwater from naturally seeping into the soil, thereby increasing surface runoff that eventually results in flooding.

He explained that natural infiltration of rainwater into the ground is essential for replenishing underground water reservoirs, stressing that the current practice has significantly reduced aquifer recharge.

Obealor said: “Many people may not know this, but landscaping of residential areas has caused a lot of damage to groundwater. Imagine if about 60 per cent of Enugu is covered with concrete. There will be no percolation, and all the rainwater will flow straight into rivers and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean.

“The water is supposed to be absorbed into the soil and retained for future use through boreholes and other sources. Today, the aquifer level in Enugu is dropping at a very alarming rate because that natural process has been disrupted”.

He added that the challenge was not limited to Enugu, saying many urban communities across the country had embraced excessive concrete landscaping without considering its environmental consequences.

Drawing a comparison with developed countries, he said residential buildings abroad are designed to preserve green areas that allow rainwater to infiltrate the soil naturally.

“If you build a house abroad, you don’t cement the entire compound. You leave green areas. That has been part of the environmental discipline that we have neglected here,” he said.

The former NSE chairman urged town planning authorities to enforce building regulations that require property owners to preserve adequate green spaces within residential premises.

He recalled that older Government Reserved Areas (GRAs) in Nigeria were deliberately designed with lawns and open spaces rather than fully paved compounds.

“Go to the old GRA layouts of the 1960s and you will hardly see compounds completely covered with concrete. They were mostly green. Today, even on a 1,000-square-metre plot, everything is either interlocked or cemented. Any rainfall immediately becomes runoff because there is no retention,” he said.

Obealor further pointed to visible evidence of declining groundwater levels in parts of Enugu, noting that boreholes that once yielded abundant water now require deeper drilling because the water table has continued to fall.

He maintained that uncontrolled concrete landscaping remains one of the less recognised causes of both flooding and groundwater depletion, calling on environmental experts, engineers and town planners to intensify public awareness on the issue.

“I stand ready to defend this position anywhere. It is an issue that professionals need to explain more to the public because not many people understand its impact,” Obealor added.

Earlier at the event, President of Nibo Women Enugu Branch, Mrs. Ifeoma Gloria Samkalia, described the ceremony as a historic milestone for the association, saying the initiative was aimed at celebrating exemplary leadership while strengthening the bond among Nibo people living in Enugu.

She said the women’s branch, established in 1948, had remained committed to promoting peace, love, unity, cultural values and the welfare of its members, adding that the awards would inspire younger generations to embrace service and community development.

According to her, “This occasion is not mainly to give awards. It is to strengthen the bond between us and our husbands. We preach love and we practise love. By the grace of God, we have achieved our aim and this will not be the last award ceremony.”

Samkalia disclosed that the union plans to empower widows and vulnerable women, organise vocational and skills acquisition programmes, acquire a bus for its activities and support the completion of Obu Nibo, urging well-meaning individuals and development partners to support the vision.

Delivering a sermon, Rev. Dr. Dandison Udodi commended the people of Nibo for sustaining unity despite living away from their ancestral home, describing the atmosphere of love among members as worthy of emulation.

“I love the love that exists among you. In many communities in Igboland, there is no love lost among the people, but the way everyone came together for this event shows that all hope is not lost,” he said.

The cleric urged members to sustain the virtues of togetherness, forgiveness, tolerance and unity, stressing that they would continue to prosper if they remained committed to peaceful coexistence.

He also encouraged members to always correct one another in love whenever anyone strays from the community’s cherished values, noting that genuine love “rejoices in truth and endures all things.”