Idara Jerome, Uyo
Barely a week after devastating floods displaced residents in parts of Akwa Ibom State and were alleged to have claimed lives, Governor Umo Eno has unveiled a new flood and drainage master plan to forestall such flooding in future.
Governor Eno has also ordered the demolition of buildings obstructing natural waterways across the state.
The Governor also announced the establishment of the Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade, stricter enforcement of monthly environmental sanitation, and the creation of Environmental Sanitation Courts to prosecute violators of environmental regulations.
Eno who disclosed the measures while speaking to journalists in Uyo on Thursday, described effective flood control as a shared responsibility between government and residents.
The Governor said the state’s existing flood management blueprint had become obsolete due to rapid urbanisation and expanding infrastructure, necessitating the development of a new master plan to address the state’s evolving environmental challenges.
He said he had directed the Commissioner for Environment to immediately assemble environmental experts, engineers and other relevant stakeholders to develop a modern flood and drainage master plan that would 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 said.
As part of the renewed flood-control strategy, Eno announced the establishment of the Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade, a specialised unit under the Ministry of Environment dedicated to keeping drainage channels free of obstructions and supporting flood-prevention efforts.
He explained that the brigade would complement existing environmental agencies by focusing specifically on drainage maintenance and flood control, noting that the task required a different operational approach from routine waste collection.
The Governor also issued a stern warning against illegal developments, declaring that any structure found obstructing designated drainage routes would be demolished, irrespective of the ownership, status or previous approvals attached to such buildings.
He said the government would no longer tolerate developments that block natural waterways, endanger lives and property or worsen flooding in surrounding communities.
To strengthen enforcement, Eno directed the Ministry of Environment, the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency and the Office of the Attorney-General to establish Environmental Sanitation Courts for the prosecution of offenders who violate sanitation regulations.
Rather than relying solely on monetary penalties, the Governor said the courts would impose community service on offenders, requiring them to participate in environmental clean-up activities, particularly the clearing of blocked drainage channels.
Eno further announced stricter enforcement of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, directing that movement would be restricted across the state on the last Saturday of every month between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
He warned that ceremonies, commercial activities and arriving travellers would not be exempted from the restriction until the sanitation exercise had been concluded.
The Governor said while his administration would continue to invest in drainage infrastructure and flood management, residents must also take greater responsibility for their environment by properly disposing of waste, keeping drainage channels clear 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 said.
The new measures, according to the Governor, form part of his administration’s broader efforts to protect lives, safeguard public infrastructure and build a cleaner, safer and more environmentally sustainable Akwa Ibom State.
Meanwhile, Eno expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work at the Judiciary Staff Quarters project, criticising what he described as the laxity and nonchalant attitude of the contractors handling the project.
He said it was unacceptable for project sites to be deserted by contractors and workers during official working hours, stressing that his administration would not tolerate delays in the execution of projects meant to serve the people.