By Valentine Amanze
The Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has rallied professionals and experts to tackle the flooding and erosion in various parts of the state, particularly in Owerri, the state capital.
The governor, who presided a meeting between the government and the leadership of various professional bodies in the state, constitued a team headed by Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie with a charge to articulate implementable plans to address the menace of flooding and erosion.
The groups that attended the meeting include Nigeria Society of Engineers, Institute of Architects, landscape architects, surveyors, town planners, quantity surveyors, and environmentalists.
The governor however explained to them the crux of the meeting.
His words: “This meeting is imperative as it will enable us to review where we are, the status of flooding in Owerri and other parts of the state and plan solution, which requires holistic discussion with stakeholders. We consider it important to carry everybody along so that people will understand what we are doing and where we are going”.
Besides, the governor thanked them for their contributions and assured that his administration would continue to tap from the enormous resources in the state to succeed.
He promised to galvanize their recommendations and make necessary consultation towards their implementation for the overall benefit of the state and urged them to have faith and confidence that the efforts will not be in vain.
He enjoined the team to synergize all the presentations made by different bodies with a view to providing a consolidated roadmap for the government.
Earlier the committee on infrastructure earlier set up by the governor submitted their report to the governor and advised, with immediate effect, the removal of the two tunnels situated in the state capital, Owerri to avert imminent collapse and loss of lives.
This was contained in the recommendations made to the governor by the Committee comprising members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers set up by the government to conduct an integrity test on overhead bridges, tunnels, and other related structures in the state.
The affected tunnels situated at Concorde and House of Assembly junctions in Owerri were constructed by the immediate past government of Rochas Okorocha.
The Committee, headed by the Imo State Chairman of the NSE, Luke Uzoigwe, also urged the governor to demolish all illegal structures built along the green verges of the roads, de-silt Lake Nwaebere and Otammiri River as part of the measures to tackle the menace of flooding in Owerri.
The Committee also recommended the introduction of road maintenance agency, stressing that, “the entire roads done by the past administration are totally in bad shapes.”
Also, other professionals including Quantity Surveyors, Town Planners and waste management experts also presented their reports and recommendations.