Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno, has assured victims of recent floods that ravaged most parts of Uyo and the adjoining Itam, in Itu local government area of support as the state launches emergency operations.
He consoled families and individuals affected by the flash-flood and called for concerted efforts to prevent recurrence.
Fielding questions from correspondents at the Victor Attah International Airport (VAIA), Uyo, upon his arrival from official engagements outside the state, at the weekend, the governor described the incident as unfortunate, assuring that government has put modalities in place to manage the situation.
He, therefore, indulged the people that while government was committed to its responsibilities, all hands must be on deck to prevent recurrence, by desilting drainages around their premises, and maintaining a clean environment.
He appealed to citizens and residents of the state to take responsibility for keeping drainage channels free of refuse, stressing that the fight against the flash-floods currently affecting parts of the state requires a collective effort between government and the citizenry.
According to him, similar flash-floods have occurred in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country, despite warnings issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), making it imperative for residents to complement government’s interventions by maintaining clean surroundings.
He observed that indiscriminate disposal of refuse into gutters and drainage channels remains one of the major causes of urban flooding, lamenting that many residents watch drains around their homes become clogged while waiting for government to clear them.
The governor said environmental sanitation should not be viewed as a government exercise alone but as a civic responsibility, recalling that communities traditionally came together to clear drains and maintain their environment long before modern sanitation agencies were established.
He explained that while the state government would continue to undertake large-scale desilting of major canals and storm-water channels, residents must ensure that drains in front of their homes and business premises remain free of debris to allow the easy flow of floodwater.
He also urged residents to heed weather advisories and flood warnings issued by relevant agencies, emphasising that prevention remains the most effective response to flash flooding.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property, assuring that government has already directed the immediate deployment of construction firms and relevant agencies to flood-prone communities to evacuate storm water, desilt blocked drainage channels and restore access to affected areas.
LEADERSHIP Sunday checks revealed that two days of torrential downpours wreaked havoc in most homes in the state capital with properties worth millions of Naira and two persons reportedly swept away by the flood.
The chairman of the Uyo Capital Development Authority (UCCDA), Hon Anietie Eka, blamed the magnitude of destruction to illegal structures erected indiscriminately on water channels.
Meanwhile, in line with the governor’s directive, an emergency desilting operation which commenced on Friday, was currently ongoing to clear blocked drainage channels along Abak Road, Nkemba Street, Ukana Offot, Ikot Ekpene Road and the Osong Ama axis of Uyo.
The operation, being coordinated by the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), headed by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakeny, according to the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, “is being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Environment, and the Akwa Ibom State Environmental and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA).”
