Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Taiye Haruna (left), and the Minister, Mrs Lawrencia Labaran-Mallam, during the minister’s assumption of duty in Abuja last Thursday. Photo: NAN
The Rivers State Gov
ernment has been urged to enact a legislation that will compel residents of Port Harcourt including business places to ensure regular clean up of drainages around their vicinities.
Across section of stakeholders who spoke with The Tide on the issue, said that the continuous blockage of drainages in the city has led to series of flooding in Port Harcourt and environs.
They particularly condemned the continuous blockages of gutters and drainages by some residents of the city particularly in Diobu, stressing that this situation has resulted to incessant flooding in the city.
A staff of the consultancy unit, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUSt) Port Harcourt Mr Wahua Nhebaka said that, a strong political will is needed to compel people to clean up their drainages as well as stop the dumping of refuse into drainages.
Mr Nhebaka said that those who refuse to comply should be prosecuted, stressing that this will go along way to check flooding across the city.
Also speaking, a staff of Port Harcourt City Educational Authority, Prince William Chinwo called for regular sanitation exercises to ensure cleanliness in the city.
Prince Chinwo also said that anyone found dumping refuse into gutters and drainages should be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
Also speaking in an interview with The Tide at Mile lll a shop owner, Mrs Mercy Edet said that government needs to come to Mile lll to compel everyone to clean up the drainage in front of their stores, stressing that while some of them are trying their best to keep their drains clean, others are not doing anything about the ones in front of their stores.