Mr Jide Awe, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert says the Federal Government’s proposal to demolish mud houses would amount to phasing out the country’s indigenous technology, if implemented.
Awe, who is the Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Conferences Committee, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
Awe was speaking against the backdrop of a statement credited to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, that the Federal Government was planning to demolish mud houses across the country.
NAN reports that the minister was said to have made the statement on July 9 when he visited the Nigerian Buildings and Road Research Institute, Nnewi in Anambra.
Onu was quoted as saying that a research was ongoing that would facilitate the influx of cheap building materials in the country to enable Nigerians build decent and affordable houses.
“The mud houses seen in some parts of the country reflect the country’s indigenous technology even though it is not suitable for the 21st century.
“It is our heritage, a result of the creativity of the indigenous people and as such should be preserved.
“There is need to improve on it with what we see on the internet so that we can benefit from it and not just discard as something that is useless.
“Demolishing them will amount to phasing out the historical benefits attached to them,’’ the ICT expert said.
Awe added that in case the mud houses were demolished, government should consider compensating their owners since they might not be able to afford modern houses.
“If we are talking about compensation, we need to consider what they are losing in the first place.
“Government should consider if the mud houses are occupied, and if that is so, then they should be given decent alternative accommodation because leaving the houses was not their decision in the first place.