Humanitarian award winner, Prince Kelvin Ekelechukwu Umejuru has charged residents in the flood prone Orashi region, comprising Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of Rivers State, not to ignore the recent warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that the region was among other parts of the country at the risk of experiencing high probability of flood due to ongoing rainfalls and increased global warming.
The youthful philanthropist who gave the charge in an interview with journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport last weekend, lamented that the debilitating flooding of 2012 and 2019 in Orashi region and other parts of the state, were still fresh in mind, adding that a repeat would have disastrous consequences.
The Managing Director of EN Global Nigeria Limited, Port Harcourt who recently bagged the prestigious Golden Heart Award from Smart News Network (SNN), regretted that flooding incidents were manifesting just as predicted by the NiMet and NIHSA because people failed to heed the warnings issued by the Agency before the onset of flooding season in the country.
Prince Umejuru said the situation called for collaborative efforts by residents across the Orashi region to ensure that they are not caught up by the impending flood disaster while also advising that their gutters and other water channels should be regularly cleared of wastes.
He said the warning became necessary as residents often times fail to adhere to environmental rules by not throwing garbage into the gutters and other waterways, as these would impede the free flow of water.
“The flood disaster which devastated several parts of the State in 2012 and years after, is still very fresh in mind and should serve as a wakeup call for all residents in the Orashi region to take appropriate steps to avoid a repeat”, Prince Umejuru advised.
The youthful philanthropist further enjoined Orashi people to see themselves as partners in the crusade for a clean and healthy Rivers State, urging them to play pivotal role by ensuring the implementation of government’s policies and programmes.
He appealed to them to make it a routine exercise to constantly clear the rivers of water hyacinths, also known to be hampering the free flow of waters in the coast lines.
