By Idongesit Ashameri
Special Correspondent, Uyo
Flood disaster along coastal communities in Nigeria has displaced millions of people, devastated and killed many people especially in the last two years. Mostly hit were those living along the coastal communities of Rivers, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River states.
Though, the disaster was predicted by metrological experts, who cited climate change across the globe as the cause, very little was done by the Nigerian government to reduce the negative impact of the flood on residents in the coastal areas. The result of the flood continues to have damaging effects on the coastline communities across the affected states.
Akwa Ibom, as one of the states along the coastal areas, also had her fair share as rains wreaked havoc on some communities, especially within Uyo, the state capital, submerging houses and displacing thousands of people. This, however, came as a surprise to both the government and the people of he state considering the huge investment of the present administration of Governor Godswill Akpabio in flood control.
It is a common knowledge that Akwa Ibom is the first in the country to have taken very proactive step to tackle flood even before the last havoc was predicted. With the involvement of foreign construction companies in several erosion and flood control projects in Uyo and the construction of the first underground pipe jacking by Julius Berger, the state positioned itself for safety.
When the flood struck, many, however, questioned the functionality of the underground pipe jacking drainage system in the state and criticised the publicity the infrastructure has received without paying heed to the fact that the areas to which the underground pipe-jacking was dedicated to service was not affected by the flood.
It should, however, be noted that Akwa Ibom State capital is located on a very flat terrain. For this reason, many parts of the state suffer from erosion and flooding during the rainy season. With so many gullies and ravines within the state capital, the present administration has so far committed so much to ensure both short and long-term flood and erosion control.
When the last flood struck though, as responsible Government, interested in the plight of the people, Governor Akpabio, who did not only tender a public apology to the people of Akwa Ibom State, promptly went ahead to inaugurate a committee, headed by the Special Adviser, Bureau of Technical Matters, Etido Inyang, to investigate the flood and come up with immediate solution to forestall future occurrence.
“I assure you that in the next rainy season, that problem would be taken care of, but we shall not ignore the plight of the people. We have set up a committee, headed by the Special Adviser on Technical Matters, to look into the issue so that we will see how we can ameliorate the plight of the people. So maybe government is slow in its reaction there, but they cannot be forgotten,” he assured.
In a recent tour of flood and erosion control sites in Uyo, the chairman of the flood investigation committee and special adviser, Bureau of Technical Matters Akwa Ibom State, Etido Inyang, explained to journalists that one of the factors responsible for the last flood experienced in the state was an intense rainfall over a relatively small area.
Apart from the flash flood, which affected some parts of Uyo last year, Inyang traced the flood in other areas of the capital city to developers flouting the rule of not building on flood plane. Some areas, according to him, should be allowed for free flow of water and if houses are constructed therein, waterways may be obstructed, which may result in flood to other occupants of the area.
Taking journalists round the ongoing drainage systems at strategic flood prone locations within the capital city, Inyang, who was accompanied by Akwa Ibom State Commissioners for Environment and Information, Enobong Uwah, and Aniekan Umanah respectively, assured that the state government was doing all within its power to make the people safe through a very comprehensive flood control approach.
At the flood control unit behind the Tropicana Entertainment Centre, with a distance of 4.3 kilometres, Inyang explained that the drainage system will take up to Aka-Nung Udoe-Ibesikpo road and also de-flood part of Abak Road. Though the construction is ongoing and at an impressive stage, he assured that if rain allowed, the drainage may be delivered in three months.
“It was the same problem we used to have in Uruan Street before you get to Oron Road, where we used to have a river flooding the whole area. I assure you that this will be the last rainy season we may experience flood in the state,” he assured.
At Dominic Utuk Ravine site, presently undergoing an intervention by Nigerpet Structures, a construction company responsible for the beautification of Uyo, the team explained that the project, which is scheduled to last for 18 months, was designed to transform the site to an attraction centre with an underground drain to support free flow of water.
The numerous flood control units scattered around strategic locations in the state, as explained by experts will on completion be linked to chambers that are expected to empty large volume of water into the river. Since it is impossible for the one pipe jacking system to take care of the entire capital city.
As a proactive measure, Inyang said every new road constructed in Akwa Ibom State now must be supported with side drains. He, however, recommend enactment of environmental laws to prohibit dumping of refuse in gutters to encourage free flow of water and a law to ensure that buildings are only sited on green areas designated for such.
“As a responsible government interested in the safety of life and property of its citizenry, the present administration in Akwa Ibom state has continued to engage reputable consultants as well as construction companies to work assiduously to ensure that flood menace and it damaging effect is never again experienced in the state,” he said.
The Akwa Ibom government has also charged residents of Uyo to contribute to government’s fight against flood by changing their attitude to refuse disposal.
Uwah gave the charge last during a tour of erosion control drainages ongoing at strategic points within the state capital.
While reassuring of government’s continued effort to keep the state capital clean through the ongoing refuse evacuation programme by the state Ministry of Environment. He advised those using the refuse recycles provided at strategic locations within the state capital to do so with sense of responsibility to avoid blocking drainages.
“It should, however, be noted that, Akwa Ibom State capital is located on a very flat terrain. For this reason, many parts of the state suffer from erosion and flooding during rainy season. With so many gullies and ravines within the state capital, the present administration has so far committed so much to ensure both short and long-term flood and erosion control. As residents, we have to help the government to succeed by our attitude,” he said.
Conducting journalists round the erosion control sites, the Special Adviser to Governor Akpabio on Technical Matters Engr. Etido Inyang said apart from the flash flood which affected some areas, another unpleasant cause of the last season’s flood experienced by the state was activities of developers who built houses on flood plane, areas that should be reserved for free flow of waters.
He, however, assured residents of Uyo that the state government has put in place both short and long-term measures to ensure complete end of flood in the shortest space of time.
At the flood control unit behind the Tropicana Entertainment Centre, with a distance of 4.3 kilometres, Inyang explained that the drainage system will take up to Aka-Nung Udoe-Ibesikpo road and also de-flood part of Abak road. Adding that if rain allows, the drainage may be delivered in three months.
“It was the same problem we used to have in Uruan Street before you get to Oron Road, where we used to have a river flooding the whole area. I assure you that this will be the last rainy season we may experience flood in the state” he said.
As a measure to check cases of flood in future, Inyang said every new road constructed in the state must be supported with side drains. He therefore recommend an enactment of environmental laws to prohibit dumping of refuse in gutters to encourage free flow of water and a law to ensure that buildings are only cited on green areas designated for such.