The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drainages

  • Flooding: FERMA begins de silting of drainages in Edo

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced the de silting of drainages on some federal roads in Edo State to help prevent ponding on the roads and flooding.

    Read Also:Flood kills two pupils in Edo

    It has also carried out repairs on some bridges and failed portions of roads such as the Bénin bye-pass, Muritala Mohammed Way, the Ugonoba Bridge amongst others.

    Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Nurudeen Rafindadi, who spoke to newsmen in Bénin City while inspecting repairs works carried out by FERMA said it was part of a 12 weeks programme of the organisation.

  • Council builds 10 boreholes, roads, drainages

    Council builds 10 boreholes, roads, drainages

    •250 pupils get free GCE form 

    Less than 100 days in office of the AbdulHamed Salawu administration in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State, the residents have started getting dividends of democracy.

    The local government has sunk and inaugurated 10 boreholes in eight wards.

    It has also built seven gutters and four roads.

    Also, the aged are being empowered under the monthly Elderly Citizens Empowerment programme.

    Salawu said the gestures are “clear manifestations of our commitment to repay the trust the people repose in the leadership of the council”.

    He said other projects are lined up to put the council among the first to match the developmental programmes of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.

    On the monthly Elderly Citizens Empowerment programme, the council chairman assured that those left out during the maiden edition would be  accommodated in subsequent editions.

    Salawu added: “Let me assure you that this gesture is a monthly programme and those who could not benefit from this edition will have their turn soon.”

    The chairman said 250 pupils were given free General Certificate in Education  (GCE) forms. This, he said, was meant to upgrade the standard of education in the council and relieve parents of the burden of procuring the forms.

    “The youths are our future; hence, they must be nurtured for the future challenges. We will soon commence vocational skill acquisition to make the youths self-reliant,” he said.

    The council chief advised the pupils to shun all forms of examination malpractice and violent act.

    He said: “See yourselves as ambassadors of this council by studying hard to achieving successes in your chosen careers. It is pertinent for all parents to inculcate good character in their children. As leaders of tomorrow, they should shun all social vices, including cultism, drug abuse and gangsterism.”

    On health, Salawu said some health centres  will be given adequate attention to meet the yearnings of the residents.

    “It is worth mentioning that Somolu Local government swiftly embrace the state Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) by employing the services of street sweepers to help keep our environment clean,” he said.

    He appealed to the residents to pay their taxes and levies to aid the council in executing other projects.

     

  • Ogun residents decry state of community roads

    The residents of Orile Iloye in Adalemo, Sango/Ijoko Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ogun State have appealed to the state government to come to their aid and construct drainages from Ojo Oladiran to Iya Alfa Road.

    They described the lack of the drainages on both sides of the roads as a major challenge facing the community.

    The residents lamented that the decrepit state of the roads has impacted negatively on their standard of living. They said some landlords had abandoned their property, while commercial activities had been affected due to the poor state of the road.

    The residents, comprising those of Ojo Oladiran, Sanyaolu, Community, Iya Alfa, spoke during the inauguration of a local bridge constructed at Iya Alfa Junction. They said they had spent over a million naira to construct the bridge, adding that more has been spent in repairing the roads.

    They also said their appealed to the state government has been to no avail.

    The Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman, Sanyaolu Oguntoyinbo, said the communities contribute periodically for repairing the roads.

    He said the residents could not afford to construct the drainages because they are capital intensive and above their ability. He appealed to the state government to come and assist them.

    He said vehicle owners among them had been finding it difficult to drive to their houses due to the deplorable conditions of the roads.

    He said residents ride on commercial motorcycles. He lamented that the cyclists also hike their fares anytime there was a downpour.

    He noted that Johnson Market, Tarmac and Ariya roads that should have been their escape routes were also in same conditions.

    According to Oguntoyinbo, this has led some residents, including landlords, to pack out of the communities.

    He said Ojo Oladiran-Iya Alfa road, should have been another major link to Ijoko, Itoki and Agbado Oke Aro, if the roads were tarred.

    He appealed to Governor Amosun to assist the communities.

    He appealed to the residents to use the bridges with care, urging them to avoid dumping of refuse under it and avoid driving heavy duty trucks over it.

    Oguntoyinbo thanked the residents for their support to community developmental projects.

    The former CDC Chairman, Philip Olorunsola also lamented the flooding.

    He confirmed that the residents had over the years contributed for repairs.

    He said: “The road is worse now; many vehicle owners have even stopped plying the road.

    “Ogun State government has some years back promised to repair the road before the rainy season but all to no avail.

    “Tenants and some landlords are already leaving the communities because the road is bad. Shop owners are leaving in droves.”

    One of the commercial cyclists Gbenga Adedipe said business  was dull anytime it rained. ‘’For instance, I make close to N2,500 daily on the average, but anytime it rains, I barely make up to N800.

    “The situation, apart from its possible environmental impact, kills business activities.”

    Another cyclist, who identified himself as Chime Ambrose, told The Nation that the problem had affected their trade as passengers shunned motorcycles when it rained.

    He said people were scared of riding on motor cycles when it rained, adding that they prefer walking. He used to make between N2,000 and N3,000, but now he barely made  N900.

  • Obaseki threatens to use council fund for road repairs

    Obaseki threatens to use council fund for road repairs

     

     

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has threatened to use part of the monthly allocation for Owan East local government to effect repairs on the failed section of the Ihievbe-Afuze.

    A large portion of the road has caved into a gully due to the blocked drainage.

    Governor Obaseki issued the threat when he paid an unscheduled visit to the secretariat of Owan East after he inspected the failed section and discovered that the council officials failed to clear the drainage when it was blocked.

    He was also peeved that the council officials did not put any sign on the road to warn motorists about the death trap ahead.

    When Obaseki entered the secretariat, the council officials at duty began making phone calls to alert senior officials of the governor’s presence but the senior officials were not at their duty post.

    “Is this how you work?” Obaseki fired at the council’s Public Relation Officer, Mr. Edikpe Samson, who came out to welcome the Governor.

    Obaseki continued, “You Just come to work when you want. You failed to clear the drains and caused that problem on the road.

    “We are going to use your funds to clear the drainage. We will use your fund to fix the problem.”

    The PRO attempted to explain that the volume of water caused the road to collapse but the Governor interjected saying the drainages were blocked.

    “Go there and clear up the drains. There is no barriers on the road to warn motorists. Go and put a concrete barrier there on the road today.”

    Obaseki however urged members of the community to always protect government assets in their domain.

     

  • Enugu to demolish houses built on waterways, drainages

    The Enugu State government will pull down houses and structures built on waterways in the state capital, The Nation has learnt. Residential and commercial buildings as well as churches would be affected in the demolition exercise.

    Already, 141 buildings have been marked for demolition after being found built on waterways which led to blocking of drainages and streams from flowing. The situation had led to severe flooding in many cases.

    Typical examples of such buildings abound in the Fidelity Estate originally owned by former governor of the state, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani. But Nnamani strenuously and successfully denied ownership of the estate while under investigation by the EFCC. The state government through the EFCC had to acquire the state since nobody else came forward to claim it.

    But before the takeover by the state government, some individuals cashed in on the ownership palaver to erect illegal structures within and around the waterways in the estate, thus causing severe flooding whenever there is heavy downpour.

    And whenever such flooding occurs it affected human and vehicular movement for several hours.

    Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) Chief Chidi Aroh recently took some reporters round the affected sites to witness “what is happening in Enugu metropolis so that should government do something drastic, they will not be accused of witch-hunting or victimising anybody.

    “I want you to see things for yourself and advice the government on what to do so that when government take some measures, they will not be seen as witch-hunting or victimising anybody.

    “We had marked some of these sites to stop work but you have seen that most of them have continued to build and when it is pulled down, people will cry out that government has demolished a building that was nearing completion.“

    He also pointed out that some of the owners of the buildings have never come to their office for certification and approval yet they have kept on building.

    Aroh said that it was the desire of Enugu State government to ensure that Enugu becomes the cleanest city in Nigeria and will not like anybody however highly placed or organisation mar the environmental aesthetics of the state.

    However, the commissioner did not give indication on when the demolition would start.

  • Clearing drainages in Delta

    With the effects of the flooding last year still fresh in our minds, most governments and individuals have started taking steps to mitigate further problems with the predictions that there will more rains this year as compared to last year. It has been discovered that blocking of drainages and channels in our cities and towns that were supposed to allow free flow of water and indiscriminate disposal of refuse are major causes of flooding. I believe it is this awareness that has prompted the Delta state government at all levels and individuals to rigorous clearing of channels and drainage as can be noticed in Warri and Effurun in particular. I must say that these efforts are highly commendable most especially as individuals are now taking it up to clear the channels around their shops, offices and homes. Quite commendable as these efforts are, it may not achieve its ultimate result because poor implementation. When dirt and garbage are packed from these channels they are simply left at the sides without disposing them immediately sometimes for weeks. Only for one single rain to fall and everything is washed back into the drainages. For me, this is what the scriptures call the labour of the foolish. At the end no work done, energy is dissipated and no results achieved. This should not be the case. Clearing of drains and channels should be immediately followed with the disposal of the refuse to the appropriate dump sites and not allowing them to stay there. Most times, residents are helpless in disposing these heavy dumps hence government collaboration is highly needed in this regards.

    Alexander Ighoro

    Warri, Delta State