UYO
Akwa Ibom governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced plans to develop a new flood and drainage master plan aimed at addressing flooding in the State.
The comprehensive strategy to compose of a specialised environmental task force, enforcement of monthly sanitation exercises and demolishing of all structures obstructing natural drainage channels.
The measures were revealed by the governor while speaking to journalists after an unscheduled inspection of the Judiciary Staff Quarters project in Uyo, would go a long way to address perennial flooding in the State.
Eno who described effective flood control as a shared responsibility between government and residents,explained that the state’s existing flood management blueprint no longer reflects the realities of rapid urbanisation and expanding infrastructure.
He said he has directed the commissioner for environment to immediately assemble environmental experts, engineers and relevant stakeholders to produce a modern flood and drainage master plan that will guide infrastructure development, drainage construction and flood mitigation across the state.
“We need to have a state flood and drainage master plan. The one we have is old. There are new developments that have taken place. We are bringing all our experts together and will develop the state flood master plan so that we can use it,” the governor stated.
As part of the renewed environmental initiative, the governor announced the establishment of the Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade, a dedicated unit under the Ministry of Environment that will focus on keeping drainage channels free of obstructions and ensuring effective flood control.
The state chief executive explained that the Brigade would complement existing environmental agencies by concentrating specifically on drainage maintenance and flood prevention, stressing that flood control requires a different operational approach from routine waste collection.
The governor also issued one of his strongest warnings against illegal developments, declaring that any building found on designated drainage routes would be demolished regardless of ownership, status or previous approvals.
He said the government would no longer tolerate developments that endanger public safety by blocking waterways and worsening flooding in surrounding communities.
Eno further directed the Ministry of Environment, the State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency and the Office of the Attorney-General to establish Environmental Sanitation Courts to prosecute offenders who violate sanitation regulations.
Rather than relying solely on monetary penalties, he said the courts would impose community service on offenders, requiring them to participate in environmental clean-up activities, particularly the clearing of blocked drains.
Eno equally announced a stricter enforcement of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, declaring that movement would be prohibited across the state on the last Saturday of every month between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The governor warned that ceremonies, commercial activities and even arriving travellers would not be exempted from the restriction until the sanitation exercise had been concluded.
He maintained that while government would continue investing in drainage infrastructure and flood management, residents must also demonstrate greater environmental responsibility by keeping their surroundings clean and complying with sanitation regulations.
“We will do our part, but we also expect all of us as citizens to do our own part too… so that we can solve some of these problems, ” he added.
Eno said the new measures form part of his administration’s broader commitment to protecting lives, safeguarding public infrastructure and building a cleaner, safer and more environmentally sustainable Akwa Ibom .
On the Judiciary quarters project, he was displeased over the laxity and nonchalant attitude of contractors handling the project, saying it was unacceptable to have project sites deserted by contractors and their workers at the peak of work hour.