NAN-ND-3
Drainage
Warri (Delta), April 16, 2017 (NAN) Mr Paul Akporowho, the National Secretary, Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) has urged the Delta Government to take necessary measures to effectively control flood in Warri and environs.
Akporowho made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Warri.
He said that the state government needed to have a good master plan that would enable it to control flood in the commercial city.
The NES secretary said the drainage system in Warri had been in a deplorable state overtime because government failed to marshal out good plan to tackle the menace.
The environmentalist called for a legislation that would spell out strict punishment for persons caught dropping refuse in the drains.
According to him the dumping of refuse in the drains has also contributed to blockage thereby causing flood.
He said as a result water could no longer flow freely whenever it rained as the water channels had been blocked.
Akporowho urged the state government to involve the private sector in the management of drainage in the state.
He noted that most of the drains in parts of Warri, including Walter Odili, Okere, Igbudu Okorodu, Enerhen and Robert Road areas were blocked.
“Look at Effrun Roundabout and you will notice that the drain that is supposed to take water to the river behind Sido Close has not been opened and so the flooding continues.’’
The secretary also advised residents of the area to join hands in clearing the drains and not wait for government to do everything.
“We don’t need to wait for government to do everything for us. We should ensure that our drains are cleared and the implication is that our roads will be free from flood,” he added. (NAN)
EDI/EMO/EEE
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Edited by Ejike Obeta/Ese E. Ekama