The Rivers State Government has frowned on the indiscriminate blockage of our water ways by residents which has led to the persistent challenge of flooding in the State.
Rivers State Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu expressed this displeasure during a Media Chat at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
According to the Deputy Governor, “The problem we have is that the canals has been blocked totally, people have built on the canals and blocked the water ways, the flood committee cannot go and uproot the houses the least we can do is to see how we can open the drains”, the Deputy Governor quipped.
She insisted that the attitude of dumping refuse into drains during rain fall also contributes to flash flooding and called on the people to support Government’s efforts to tackle flooding which according to her is everybody’s business.
Prof Odu while insisting that the Rivers State Government remains fully committed to reducing the impact of flooding on our communities debunked insinuations that flood has ravaged communities in the State.
The Deputy Governor who highlighted the efforts of the Governor Fubara led Administration at mitigating the flood scourge said the committee would commence the distribution of relief materials to the flood prone Local Government Areas next week.
“From next week we will be sending things to the flood prone Local Government Areas to mitigate their pains, we are doing this because sometimes people go to the media and say flood is ravaging the State, that word is too hard, they will take one or two pictures of flooded areas and say what is the Committee doing? We are taking mitigating actions, flood prevention and control is a tripartite approach, which involves the Federal Government, the State Government and the Local Government,” the Deputy Governor further stressed.
