By Nneka Nwogwugwu and Yemi Olakitan
Officials of three states in the South-South, Nigeria, have explained measures to mitigate flood and its effects in 2023.
The officials made their submissions in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
The Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Charles Udoh, said that as part of measures, the state had inaugurated 8.4km flood control project worth 34 million Dollars.
“Just in October, 2022, the state government inaugurated a flood control project worth $34 million.
“The project was initiated in partnership with the World Bank through the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).
“The project transverses 18 communities in three local government areas and was designed to carry more than half of the flood water generated in Uyo and environs.
“The state government has also provided 10 alternative sources of water for communities on the line of the project as a way of cushioning the environmental effect of the project.
“It is expected that the project will permanently arrest the perennial flood problem which had sacked many residents of the affected communities,” Udoh said.
Mr Princewill Ayim, Director General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed that in the last quarter of 2022, the state government embarked on aggressive desilting of gutters in major cities across the state to curb flooding.
According to him, the agency also embarked on sensitisation of residents in the state against dumping waste in water channels.
He also said that the agency, in collaboration with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, had sensitised potential builders to avoid erecting structures on water ways.
He condemned the attitude of some residents who ignored regulations guiding building in the state, saying that most people were erecting buildings along the water ways.
On his part, Mr Isoboye Jack, Chairman, River State Environmental Sanitation Taskforce, said the agency had partnered relevant stakeholders to boost waste management in the state.
Jack said that a committee had already been inaugurated in Port Harcourt with a charge to work with all stakeholders to ensure effective disposal of waste to curb flooding in the state.
The chairman stated that the committee was also expected to pay special attention to the desilting of drainages and major water channels in the state.
According to him, the collaboration will help check flooding as well as monitor waste collection contractors to enable them to redouble efforts towards riding the streets and drainages of waste.