Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has ordered a consultant to review and update Uyo’s flood master plan after a sharp rise in flooding incidents across the state.
During a ministerial press briefing, Commissioner for Environment Nsikak Ekong explained that the review is intended to provide a long‑term solution to the perennial flooding that has plagued the capital city amid a wave of rapid urbanisation.
“The ministry is developing a Climate Change Policy and working with the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on legislation to support climate action and carbon‑credit opportunities,” Ekong said.
“Rapid urbanisation is another factor causing flooding in Uyo, because of urbanisation, the culverts that used to take water adequately may not be able to do that again; because of urbanisation there are no bushes to absorb water, concretes, slabs and roads everywhere,” he added.
Ekong said the need to update the flood and drain master plan is urgent, noting that the governor has already directed a consultant to undertake the review. He said the state’s response to climate‑induced flooding would be strengthened once the plan is completed.
In addition to the review, an environmental response team – the “Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade” – will be inaugurated to monitor flood‑prone areas across the state. The commissioner also highlighted plans to reclaim the Uyo village road dump site for a housing estate, and to convert the state’s 700,000‑tonne annual waste output into energy and other products.
“We have contacted two companies, one in the US and one in India. The US company suggested converting waste to energy and selling it to the national grid, while the Indian company proposed a waste‑to‑wealth programme that would provide households with colour‑coded dustbins for segregation, turning plastic into reusable material and organic waste into fertiliser,” Ekong said. He added that environmental education programmes on waste segregation have been introduced in primary and secondary schools, and that drainage desilting has already been carried out on Abak Road, Aka Road and Ikot Ekpene Road, as well as in Shelter Extension and other affected areas.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
