Government has been called upon to enforce environmental laws and ensure protection of lives and properties from the effects of flooding.
Speaking to our correspondent in Port Harcourt, The Rivers State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Edward Banigo said grassroot support is needed to reduce the negative effects of flooding.
He called for communities to compliment government efforts by ensuring that drainages are free from blockage.
”If you check, we do not have the habit of disposing our refuse properly and that is one major factor especially in engendered areas where you see flash floods, like in Port Harcourt Government will spend billions of Naira in constructing roads and drainages but people will convert these drains into dump sites so all these will contribute to flooding.”
The Rivers State NOA Director stated that it is the responsibility of town planners at the local government level to sensitize people on the need for proper elevation during building developments and urged government to help those affected by flood across the state.
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”The local government and those who are charged with the responsibility of approving building plans if we want to avert disaster then building codes must be respected, we don’t need to build in areas that would exacerbate flooding.”
”We should also ensure especially if you are in flood plain areas that you have good elevation, your building should be elevated. When you go to some areas where flooding is rampant you still see people building low level structures and when there is rise in water levels everybody is panicking and running helter-skelter.”
Dr. Banigo further advised that government should bring back and strictly monitor the Monthly Sanitation across the state to ensure that waste are properly disposed and drainage channels are not blocked.
