Environment
PH Residents Jittery Over Flooding As Rainy Season Approaches
The media, particularly, the electronic media last week was abuzz with news of complaints of flooding by some residents of Port Harcourt and its environs over last Sunday’s heavy rainfall.
Information available to The Tide revealed that complaints were coming from areas that experienced severe flooding last year.
These areas include Eneka, Elekahia, parts of D-line and Eliozu. The rest are Mile I Market, Rukpakulus, Eliozu, and Igboh Etche, amongst others.
However, as the rainy season approaches, residents of these areas and other parts of Port Harcourt are already jittery over the imminent severe flooding that maybe experienced in the city this year.
A cross section of respondents who expressed their concern in an interview with The Tide, contended that if urgent attention is not given to the issue, the state may experience severe flooding this year.
They however commended the Rivers State Government for the several flood control measures taken so far, since last year, including the dredging of major water channels. They stressed the need for the government to work with community leaders to stop people from building on water right of ways.
The Chairman, Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Chinwo Town, Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, Prince William Chinwo stressed the need for the government to widen drainages located in high density areas of the city to ensure easy flow of water.
Chinwo also stressed the need for wider drainages for new road networks while government should continue with its on-going desilting programme of major creeks and canals across the city.
He also called for sanctions against those dumping refuse into drainages and creeks, stressing that until people are arrested and punished, the situation will not stop.
Also speaking, Mr. Felix Godwin, a trader at the Mile I Market, stressed the need for more sensitisation programmes to create awareness on the dangers of dumping refuse into drainages as well as building on water right of ways.
Godwin also stressed the need for the government to check the incessant flow of water from Sangana Street and Dline to the Mile I market.
“If the government can control the flooding on the major roads and streets, this place will be okay for us, because the water always flows from Sangana and Dline side to the market,” he said.
Also speaking, a resident of D-line, Mr. Chukwudi Kelvin said that residents of D-line especially Sangana Street should be blamed for the incessant flooding of the area.
“I think, the government doesn’t have much to do, because most of the problem, is being caused by the people.
“You know that some people use to throw their refuse into the gutters especially whenever it rains. If the government can set up an agency to watch and punish people, the situation will stop,” he said.
Mr. Kelvin who volunteered to assist the government with information on those dumping refuse into the drainage, said that the situation must be checked before the incident of last year repeats itself.
He complained that last year, he lost all his belongings to flooding and prays the incident does not repeat this year.
“Last year, when the flooding came, I lost everything. I also left my house because the water level was almost at my chest.” “If not that I have renewed my rent for this year, I would have packed out of this place,” he said.
Meanwhile, Environmentalists have blamed the incessant flooding in the city on the poor environmental attitude of the people.
An Environmentalist, Mr. Thomas Ikarabu told The Tide in an interview that despite the effort of the State Government to ensure the free flow of water from the city to the rivers, most people are busy erecting structures on water right of ways.
Mr. Ikarabu also condemned the indiscriminate dumping of wastes into the Ntawogba and other creeks in the city and called for severe sanctions.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Government has promised to step up its sensitisation campaign against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainages and canals.
The commissioner for Environment, Professor Roseline Konya, said in a telephone interview with The Tide that effort would be made to stop people from indiscriminately dumping refuse into drainages. Professor Konya said that people must support the government to check flooding this year in the city by avoiding habits that lead to flooding.
It would be noted that the present administration under Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has shown much concern towards checking flooding in the city of Port Harcourt and environs.
The ongoing dredging of the Ntawogba creek is one of the several measures taken by the government to check flooding in the city.
However, as the rainy season approaches, it behoves on the people to assist the government control flooding in the city by checking the dumping of wastes into drainages.
The Ministry of Environment on Thursday in Abuja, advanced its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, validating a comprehensive plan aimed at tackling climate-related challenges in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Mahmud Kambari, said this at the Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on the Development of the concept notes to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for NAP in Nigeria.
Kambari, who was represented by Mrs Victoria Pwol, the Deputy Director in the Department of Climate Change (DCC) in the ministry, said that the workshop is a collective resolve to confront the realities of climate change with purpose, strategy, and coordinated action.
“Over the past years, the Federal Government of Nigeria, with crucial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has made significant progress in advancing the NAP process.
“As a nation, we stand at a critical juncture where climate risks ranging from extreme weather events to environmental degradation continues to threaten our socio-economic stability, food systems, public health, infrastructure, and national development aspirations.
“Through extensive technical work, we have completed a Climate Risk Assessment across all geopolitical and agro-ecological zones, developed an Economic Appraisal, an Adaptation Finance Strategy, and a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.”
Kambari said that these foundational elements now guide Nigeria to identify priority adaptation needs and investment opportunities.
“Let me mention that we are at the tail end of this NAP Formulation Process and looking forward to the implementation phase.
“This workshop therefore serves as a strategic purpose to harmonise perspectives across key MDAs; refine project ideas into strong, evidence-based concept notes.
“It will ensure that proposed interventions align with national priorities and the investment criteria of the GCF and position Nigeria to competitively access the resources required to strengthen resilience across vulnerable sectors,” he said.
Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, the Director DCC in the Ministry said that the engagement would enhance achievements by collaboratively developing bankable, climate-resilient concept notes that align with national priorities and meet the GCF’s investment requirements.
Abiola-Awe who was represented by Dr Jonah Barde in the Ministry said that the workshop represented an important step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen climate resilience.
She added that the workshop would advance sustainable development, and mobilise the climate finance needed to safeguard Nigeria’s communities, ecosystems, and economy from the growing impacts of climate change.
Effective communication, transparency, and science-based risk assessments are the cornerstones of Nigeria’s approach to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Mr Bello Bwari, the Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), gave the assurance during a media interaction in Abuja on Friday.
“Where there is communication, you reduce conflict. Effective communication is key, effective engagement with stakeholders is paramount and key to making Nigeria better.
Bwari said anti GMO’s critics keep participants and practitioners on their toes.
“We value them and we expect that their criticisms, suggestions and recommendations will make our operations in the entire spectrum better.
“Where we are not doing so well, we will hear from them, where we can advance explanations, we will advance explanations. Where they are not doing well, we will tell them. We will not run away from doing that.
“But I want to assure you that we are bold enough to face anybody who is not fact-based,” he said.
He reassured that sometime before the end of the second quarter of 2026 there would be a retreat where all stakeholders would be invited.
“And also, the impact we are bringing is going to be measurable by the end of 2026. And going forward, what we do by the end of 2026 will form the basis of our five-year plan.
“There’s a five-year plan which will start at the end of 2026. So, I enjoin the media to please report what you know as a matter of fact, not as a matter of opinion.
“We all have different opinions, but some of our opinions are not facts. From the quality of what I see on papers, reportage, I think largely I’m impressed with what the press is doing in Nigeria so far,” he said.
Bwari stated that Nigerians deserved to understand what NBMA regulates, why they regulate it, and how decisions were made.
“Part of my focus going forward will be strengthening engagement with the media, researchers, policymakers, and the public because regulation works best when it is understood.
“We are not promoters of any technology, and we are not opponents of innovation. We are regulators.
“But at its core, biosafety is about prevention, caution, and preparedness. It is about ensuring that innovation does not outpace safety, and that national development never compromises public health or environmental integrity,” he said.
He promised to uphold the law without fear or favour, communicate more clearly with the public and ensure that every regulatory decision was transparent, evidence-based, and accountable
“NBMA is not an advocacy agency. Our duty is to assess risks, enforce safeguards, and ensure compliance with national and international biosafety standards.I also want to emphasise that public trust matters.
He further urged the media to help Nigerians understand biosafety and biosecurity in a better way.
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