By Barbara Nwaiwu
Stakeholders in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states have announced the deployment of intensive preventive measures to mitigate flooding and erosion, protect lives and property, and strengthen disaster preparedness ahead of the peak rainfall season.
The joint update on the coordinated measures was announced on Monday as both states outlined ongoing interventions in response to forecasts of increased rainfall and flood risks.
The stakeholders said plans were underway to evacuate residents living in highly vulnerable areas while efforts were also being intensified to reclaim lands affected by erosion and improve environmental resilience.
In Akwa Ibom State, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said the government had invested billions of naira in erosion-control and flood-mitigation projects across the state’s 31 local government areas.
According to him, several intervention projects had already been completed or were ongoing to address environmental degradation and reduce the risk of flooding.
Umanah said the government had reclaimed the erosion site on Atiku Abubakar Avenue and recently ordered the desilting of drains along the road to contain anticipated flooding.
He noted that the 1.48-kilometre underground drainage line on Atiku Abubakar Avenue, inaugurated during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, remained a critical component of the state’s flood-control infrastructure.
The commissioner also disclosed that erosion-control drainage lines had been constructed off the Two Lanes axis to channel water away from Oron Road and into underground drainage systems leading towards the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
He added that Governor Umo Eno had directed the construction of Afaha Ube Street and adjoining side drains linking Ikot Ekpene Road to improve drainage and reduce flooding in the area.
According to Umanah, reclamation works are also ongoing along Uyo Village Road to address about 4.3 kilometres of gully erosion that had threatened parts of the city, including areas around the Government House.
He said the state government had substantially addressed severe gully erosion at a former refuse dump site along Uyo Village Road, transforming the reclaimed area into a location earmarked for middle-class housing and recreational facilities.
The commissioner further disclosed that 73 hectares of land affected by gully erosion across Etim Usanga, Udo Umana and Usanga streets off Brook Street had been reclaimed as part of ecological remediation efforts.
He said the state had also committed significant resources to the Ibom Arise Park Project, which involved extensive land reclamation works aimed at reversing environmental degradation and converting a vulnerable ecological site into an eco-friendly tourism and recreation destination.
Umanah said Governor Eno had directed the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), Mr. Akpan Ikim, to intensify desilting of drains across the metropolis.
He added that residents in low-lying coastal communities had been advised to relocate to safer upland locations to avoid potential flood-related disasters.
The commissioner warned against indiscriminate disposal of waste into drainage channels and the construction of buildings on waterways, stressing that structures obstructing natural water channels would be demolished.
He disclosed that a committee comprising officials from the ministries of environment, water resources, health, agriculture, internal security, lands and AKSEPWMA had been established to collaborate with relevant federal agencies on flood mitigation strategies.
Also speaking, AKSEPWMA Chairman, Mr. Akpan Ikim, said the state’s flood-management strategy combines major infrastructure projects with routine desilting operations and community sanitation campaigns to reduce immediate risks while providing long-term solutions.
In Cross River State, government officials said preparations had been intensified to address major flood and erosion-prone locations ahead of forecasted heavy rainfall.
The Acting Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Climate Adaptation, Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB), Mr. Obeten Otu, said current interventions were focused on severe and catastrophic gully erosion sites across the state.
He explained that the project, previously funded by the World Bank, is now financed by the European Investment Bank following the World Bank’s exit on June 30, 2022.
“NEWMAP-EIB has deployed Gully Rapid Action Slope Stabilisation measures to minimise erosion impacts pending permanent remediation works,” he said.
Otu disclosed that Governor Bassey Otu had approved the commencement of engineering designs for six gully erosion and flood-control sites requiring revalidation, as well as 10 new engineering designs for some of the state’s most severely affected locations.
He added that NEWMAP-EIB was collaborating with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Cross River Basin Authority to monitor erosion and flood threats and strengthen early response mechanisms.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the Calabar Urban Development Agency, Mr. Effiong Ayi, said the state government had adopted science-based and community-focused strategies to reduce flooding and safeguard communities.
He listed ongoing interventions to include dredging waterways, widening canals, clearing blocked drains and removing structures obstructing flood channels.
Ayi said plans were underway to launch radio awareness campaigns and establish a task force to curb indiscriminate dumping of refuse into waterways.
He urged residents to comply with environmental regulations, avoid building on waterways and promptly report blocked drainage systems to relevant authorities.
The Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Antigha Gill, disclosed that 13 local government areas in Cross River had been identified as high-risk flood zones.
Gill said SEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had commenced sensitisation campaigns in vulnerable communities to improve preparedness and response capacity.
According to him, traditional rulers, youth groups, emergency responders and other stakeholders had been engaged on flood-risk awareness and emergency response measures.
He added that the state fire service had also been mobilised to support rescue operations if flooding occurs.
Gill said government efforts were focused on strengthening disaster preparedness, enhancing early warning systems and reducing the long-term impacts of climate change and poor land-use practices.
He disclosed that SEMA had begun stockpiling emergency materials and relief supplies while plans were underway to expand sensitisation campaigns across additional communities before the peak rainfall period.
Meanwhile, the NEMA’s South-South Zonal Directorate called on states to establish legally backed state emergency management agencies and functional local government emergency management committees to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.
Acting Director of the South-South Zonal Directorate, Mr. Eric Ebhodaghe, said the appeal followed flood predictions indicating that 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory could experience moderate to high flood risks in 2026.
According to him, local emergency management committees should serve as first responders, while state agencies provide support before national intervention becomes necessary.
On evacuation arrangements, Ebhodaghe said emergency response frameworks had already identified high-risk communities and mapped out safe locations for potential evacuations across the country.
