Environment ministry flags off flood preventive measures

The state Ministry for Environment and Mineral Resources has flagged off another round of comprehensive delisting of drainages across the state, especially flood prone areas, to mitigate effects of heavy down pour earlier forecasted by the Nigerian metrological service.

Declaring open the services of preventive measures, the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, stated that being a proactive government, the administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio, is not leaving any stone unturned in making sure that Akwa Ibom State is free from massive flooding as predicted by the National Weather Agency.

The commissioner made this known on Wednesday at Akpan Andem Market, where he supervised evacuation of heaps of refuse left on Ndiya Street by traders. He told reporters that “Akwa Ibom is one of those states in the country that has been predicted to experience flooding this year, so we are henceforth going all round the state delisting our gutters, making sure that all our drainage channels are free”.

Uwah said why the ministry started the progamme at the market was because some traders sell their wares on top of drainage channels and in the process, the block free flow of flood water.

“As you observe this area is always flooded because of the blockage in drainages so we are hoping that the traders and everybody in the state will cooperate with us and keep the drainages free because if the state flood like it happen in others around, the consequences are dire”. He admonished.

From Akapan Andem market, Prince Uwah, visited the Ibom Plaza, where he reechoed the commitment of government to give the tourist attraction its needed face lift.

He argued that ridding the plaza of petty traders was to preserve its pristine beauty for the pleasure of both residents and visitors alike, adding that items meant to be sold there should be those to enhance its aesthetic value including items of arts and crafts, souvenirs and others.

He also inspected the recently sealed sand mining site at the end of Urua Udofia Street.

While there, Prince Uwah told journalists that against protests by some individuals about the closure of the site, “government made the move because the erosion at the site had worsened to a disaster level as such in the overwhelming public interest it had to be sealed until urgent remedial measures were put in place to save residential buildings and human life from being engulfed”.

The dump site located near Wellington Bassey way End was visited and the commissioner inspected the level of work done to rehabilitate the entrance into the site in order to facilitate rapid evacuation of waste from the capital city.

Uwah pointed out that earlier on waste evacuating truck had to queue for hours at the site due to the bad road and expressed optimism that once the access road is completed, turn over time for removal of waste will be shortened.

While addressing the press at the end of the tour, Prince Enobong Uwah, reiterated government’s determination to protect the environment and safe guard public health. He therefore appealed to the people to support its effort by complying with environment friendly principles and keep the state clean.