The Imperativeness Of Addressing The Issue Of Blocked Drainages -By Ahamefula Israel

According to Ukwa-Ngwa trained Clinical Bio-Chemist, environmental sanitation expert and the fourth democratically elected Governor of Abia State, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu PhD, while delivering a public lecture in 2015 titled from Waste to Wealth, facilitated by the then Acting Rector, Abia State Polytechnic Aba, Distinguished Professor E. Uche Ikonne, “adequate sanitation is fundamental and a prerequisite for safe life and productivity”.

In the same token with the above mentioned quote, malfunctioning sanitation has been reported to cause outbreaks all over the world.

Unarguably, with only a handful of rainfall this year, many roads and streets of cities in Nigeria, particularly Abia State are littered with of all sorts of debris. It is no longer news that some parts of Abia State are wrecked by flood during rainy season as a result of blocked drainages.

It has become very disheartening because despite government efforts and persuasions of the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, a lot of people and households, especially operators in markets remain adamant and still dump all sorts of refuse including body wastes and dungs on sewages and waterways. They even erect buildings anywhere they like not minding whether they block waterways or expose themselves and their communities to danger.

Fully aware that timely opening up and rehabilitation of drainage channels are radical interventions in controlling periodic floods during rainy seasons, Abia State Government, under the dynamic leadership of our dear Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Ph.D., before the commencement of this years rainy season, launched the desilting of drainages in urban and sub-urban centers of the state through the Abia State Environmental protection agency (ASEPA).

The effort was not only to demonstrate the government’s commitment to ensuring flood control, good and healthy homes and streets but to enhance environmental aesthetic and give road users easy passage. The model, apart from preventing flooding, involves making households where the refuse and sewages that block free flow of water channels account for their misdemeanor. Hence, households will be driving the wheel of flood control by desilting or clearing drainages and waterways at regular intervals.

There is no doubt that if people are serious with desilting and clearing of drainages in their areas, it will not only prevent flooding but reflect on people’s health. This is because bacteria and disease vectors like mosquitoes, rats and other disease-carrying inhabitants of garbage will hardly find anywhere to hide or breed in clean drainages.

What is more worrisome about the people’s attitude to the environment, particularly as it concerns blocking of drainages is that the same people who perpetrate that act will send SOS messages to government and post all manner of messages and pictures on social media to prove that they are being neglected when their area is flooded . They will then remember that they have a government but forget that they failed to do their part despite governments’ warnings and efforts.

To this end, government should act resolutely on the development of the state and Nigeria at large. Stakeholders, particularly leaders of town unions, religious bodies, markets, traditional rulers and the media should not get tired of sensitising people on the importance of prompt clearing of water channels especially now that the rains are building up, as government cannot do everything for them.

On the other hand, offenders should be strictly handled in line with the provisions of Abia State Public Health Law, among other relevant statutes.

Relevant government ministries and agencies should therefore seriously push against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and improper planning of cities. They should as a matter of urgency, begin to tenaciously remove buildings on flood channels and drainages.

Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies should be carrying out regular street by street investigation and detection of silted drainages to clear them or urge owners of the odd sites to clear them or face sanction.

Above all, let us remember that cleanliness is next to godliness.

Ahamefula Israel, a Bureaucrat, sent in this piece from Umuahia, Abia State. Email- anyameleisrael@gmail.com