Flooding: Rivers waste management agency says buildings on creeks, canals would be demolished

Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), has reiterated its plea to the residents in the state to adequately remove and dispose of their wastes at only government approved receptacles and discontinue forthwith from discharging refuse into creeks, canals and other waterways in the State, to allow for free flow of water and avoid flooding.

Sole Administrator of the agency, Felix Obuah gave the warning while reacting to reports of fresh cases of flooding in some parts of Port Harcourt and other Local Government Areas of the state.

He also observed with dismay, the building of houses and fenced walls on waterways, warning that such buildings and fenced walls would be demolished if flooding must give way for free flow of water on our streets and roads.

The RIWAMA Sole Administrator said the ongoing de-silting of major creeks and canals in Port Harcourt, the State Capital and its environs, is a deliberate effort of Governor Nyesom Wike to tackle issues associated with heavy rainfall and floods this year and ensure that the predicted floods in some parts of the country including Rivers by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, is adequately tackled.

According to Bro Obuah,  rainfall alone does not necessarily cause floods rather human factor like dumping of refuse in creeks and canals, thereby blocking waterways and resulting to flooding as witnessed in some parts of the State’.

He assured that government would henceforth implement the relevant laws against indiscriminate and illegal dumping of wastes at unapproved places as well as bring down buildings, fenced walls and other structures on waterways, to pave way for free flow of water on our streets and roads.