Bayelsa Embarks on Precautionary Measures Against Flooding

By Amos Okioma
LAGOS JULY 24TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The Bayelsa state government has embarked on measures aimed at averting the perennial flooding that have been affecting the state capital, Yenagoa and its environs by deploying swamp buggy to clear the drains and canals that were blocked by indiscriminate dumping of refuge by residents.
The Bayelsa state commissioner for Environment, Ebipatei Gabriel Apaingolo disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Yenagoa on the heels of the current clearing of canals and drains as we approach the raining seasons.
According to the commissioner, the state by its geographical location in the Niger Delta Region is prone to yearly flooding and mitigating efforts has to be taken to forestall the consequences of flooding, stressing that on assumption of office he discovered that the only panacea to flooding is to open up the plethora of canals that cris cross Yenagoa and its neighboring communities,adding that not until a comprehensive drainage system is carried out to connect the entire Capital City the problem will continue to exist.
“Even though it is capital intensive, government needs to come up with that kind of massive project to take care of the militating flooding problems,” he stated.
Warning against erecting building on major canals, he said,”We have not really come across one major building on existing canal , but we have sound a warning in collaboration with the department of physical and development authority, if such a building has permission to be erected and if not it should be demolished ” he stated.
He further stated that the ministry of Environment will not relent in its sensitization of the public on the need to be environmental friendliness and avoid dumping of refuge into the drains especially plastics product.
” It is not everything government has to do for us, we need to help ourselves to avoid blocking the drains” he posited.
The commissioner also applauded the Director – General of the Bayelsa state Environmental Sanitation Authority ( ESA ) Chief Robert Enogha for the regular and constant evacuation of refuge dumps despite the dwindling finances from the Federation Allocation Committee ( FAAC ) and in order to enhance the aesthetic beauty of the city he advised that there is need to check our attitude towards cleanliness which is next to Godliness.” I want to commend Chief Robert Enogha for a good job, even though when we were in recession and the state government battled to pay full salaries , he still the cleanliness of Yenagoa, the state capital ” he said.

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