The Akwa Ibom Government had begun sensitisation of coastal communities and river catchment areas on the threat of intending floods in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, stated this when he visited the state team on 2016 NIMet’s Prediction at Ibeno local government area of the state, recently.

Ekpo, represented by Director of Administration, Deputy Governor’s office, Mrs Ekaette Ekanem, said the prediction made the state government to ask the team to go and sensitise the people at the coastal areas on the need to be at alert.

“It is not long we received prediction from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMet) that water level is rising, even from the Niger Republic.

“Even as the water level is rising, there is a tendency that there might be an over flow in the country.

“And so when the prediction came out, we have been told that there are states that might be affected and Akwa Ibom is one of the states that has been mentioned,’’ Ekpo said.

He said that the essence of the meeting was to inform their subjects and sensitise them to be aware of the impending flood in the country.

“As leaders we have duties and responsibilities over our subjects, we have to talk to our subjects on the need to be alert and evacuate from the danger zone,’’ he said.

The Deputy Governor urged transitional chairman, traditional rulers, clan heads to sensitise their subjects on the need to be alert and plan for the intending flood in the state.

“We all know that where we do not plan, it means that we are planning to fail.

“What we are saying is that it is needful to be alert and be prepared in case it comes,’’ he said.

He called on the transitional chairmen to get camps or locations for residents of coastal communities in anticipation water overflow as predicted by NiMet.

Ekpo, however, advised people living in coastal communities to evacuate to upland for safety and security of their lives and property.

He decried the situation where some residents in Akwa Ibom built houses on water ways thereby causing flooding.

Also speaking, Director, Ideal Environmental Consortium, Mr John Bassey, said that the consortium was partnering the office of the Deputy Governor on emergency management.