The Rivers State Government has pledged to strictly enforce environmental laws to curb indiscriminate waste disposal, illegal sand mining, and unapproved constructions, which it identified as major causes of flooding across the state.
The Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the Central Working Committee on Flood Management and Control, Professor Ibibia Worika, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Alwell Okereuku, gave the assurance during a sensitisation campaign in Khana Local Government Area.
Prof. Worika said the government remains committed to investing in flood control infrastructure, improving drainage systems, strengthening disaster management agencies, and working closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and security agencies.
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According to him, the state had set up a multi-agency Central Working Committee on Flood Emergency Preparedness, Management and Control, involving NEMA and security agencies, to anticipate risks, mitigate impacts, and build resilience in vulnerable communities.
The Head of Operations, NEMA, Eric Ebhodaghe, warned that Rivers State faces a high risk of flooding betweeng September and December this year. He advised residents to stop erecting structures on waterways and avoid clogging drainages, stressing that early relocation from flood-prone areas could save lives.
The sensitization campaign is part of Rivers State’s proactive flood preparedness strategy aimed at reducing displacement, food insecurity, and infrastructure damage caused by recurrent flooding in the state.
