By Amos Okioma
The Bayelsa State government has assured that it will continuously embark on measures to stop the perennial flooding at the state capital, Yenagoa, and its environs.
Already, the state Ministry of Environment has deployed swamp buggy to clear the drains and canals that were blocked by indiscriminate dumping of refuge by residents.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Ebipatei Gabriel Apaingolo, disclosed this in Yenagoa on the heels of the current clearing of canals and drains.
The commissioner said that the state by its geographical location in the Niger Delta was prone to yearly flooding. An
The commissioner further said that on assumption of office he discovered that the only panacea to flooding was to open up the plethora of canals in Yenagoa and its neighboring communities, stressing, “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 warned against erecting building along the canals.
“We have not really come across one major building on the existing canal; but we have warned in collaboration with the Department of Physical and Development Authority, that if such a building it should be demolished,” he stated.
He also assured that the Ministry of Environment would continue to sensitize the public on the need to for environmental friendliness and avoid dumping of refuge into the drains especially plastics products.”
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 to enhance the beauty of the city he called for a change of attitude towards cleanliness.