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Environment

Tackling Flooding In PH

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9 years ago

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As the rainy season sets in, anxiety is mounting among residents of Port Harcourt city and its environs over the possible increase in flooding in the city, this year.
The Tide observed that during last week Wednesday’s heavy down pour, many parts of the city were flooded.
Among the heavily flooded areas were the MTN junction along the PH Aba Express road, Artillery Junction also along Port Harcourt Aba Express road and Elekahia, and Rumukalagbor.
Also affected by the flood during the rainfall were the popular Mile I Market to Emenike and  Elechi Road junctions by the Mile Three market all along the Ikwerre Road.
At the Elekahia,  Rumukalagbor villages, The Tide observed that many residents were displaced.
Residential buildings and shops were flooded and for shop owners, it was a sad day as most of their wares were destroyed by the flood waters  The Tide also observed that a private school located along the Hill Top Drive Elekahia was shut down and pupils evacuated that morning  as a result of the incidents.
A cross section of residents who spoke to The Tide on the situation blamed the flooding on the over flow of the two major adjoining streams which cut across the two communities.
They said that the streams known in the local language as Mini Jiriji and Mini Okoro had been sources of concern to the communities as they normally overflow their banks during heavy rainfall.
They said that until the streams were dredged to ensure the free flow of waters, the situation will get worst.
A shop owner, Mr Innocent Uwuma told The Tide that his shop was flooded early that morning and most of his wares had been destroyed.
Mr Uwuama said that the government must find solution to the problem of flooding in Elekahia and Rumukalagbor stressing that the only way to do this is to dredge the two streams.
“Let the government clean the streams, so that the water can flow into the bigger Rivers”.
Another trader, Kingsley Anosike who also claimed to have lost all his wares, further opined that the solution to the flooding in the areas lies in the dredging of the streams.
Mr Anosike recalled that last year, many traders in the area also lost their wares to the flood waters.
“Last year, we experienced the same thing we are appealing to the government to dredge the streams and make them deeper.
He said that if noting was done about the situation, that axis of Port Harcourt will be cut off from the rest of the city by flood.
Last year, we managed to survive the situation but this year I don’t know what is going to happen as subsequent rains seems to get heavier. Another resident, Mrs Ogechi Clement said that she had already removed all her belonging from her house.
She said that she suffered similar thing last year and called for assistance from the public.
The Tide observed that the situation caused gridlock along the Elekahia Rumukalagbor road as vehicles found it difficult to pass through the area.
Similar situation was also observed at the MTN junction, Aba road and the Mile I Market along Ikwerre Road.
At the market, traders were seen transferring food items to the median.
An environmentalist, Mr Steve Obodoekwe, said the situation was a sign that residents of Port Harcourt city and environs will experience more flooding as this year’s rains will be very heavy.
Mr Obodoekwe told The Tide that, the solution lies on regular desilting of the drains.
He called on the Ministry of Environment and the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) to come up with modalities of ensuring that streams and rivers such as: the Interwoba  creek, Mini Jiriji and Mini  Okoro are regularly desilted to ensure their free flow.
He also suggested that residents who are in the habit of dumping refuse into these channels should desist from such act or face the full wrath of the law.
Also speaking on the issue, a Public Affairs analyst, Rev (Dr) Sokari Soberekon said that government must look for ways of channeling waters from the Mile I axis of Port Harcourt through Abonnema Wharf to the rivers there.
He said that the situation at Mile 1 Market portended great danger to the health of the society as most people buy most of their food stuff from Mile 1 market.  All in all, it is flood everywhere and the government  must find solution to it.

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Environment

Why Buildings Keep Collapsing In Nigeria…. NIOB

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7 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has attributed the recurring building collapse cases across the country to weak construction laws and failure to hold offenders accountable.
President of the institute, Daniel Kolade, made this known in Abuja at the 2026 Builders Day celebration, themed, “Advocacy and Policy Influence: Towards Sustainable Reforms for a Resilient Built Environment”
He expressed worry that, in spite of concerns over building safety, a key regulatory framework meant to strengthen enforcement within the built environment has remained pending before the National Assembly since 2006.
According to him, the delay has created a situation where those responsible for structural failures often escape punishment.
“Because the enforcement arm of the law is still lying with the National Assembly and has not been passed into law since 2006, the room remains for people to go scot-free when these incidents happen,” Kolade said.
According to Kolade, the lack of consequences encourages negligence on construction sites, as many operators believe little or nothing will happen, even if they violate building regulations.
Kolade cited previous building collapse incidents where, years after the tragedies, no individual had been prosecuted or sanctioned.
“As long as people continue to go free when these things happen, you should expect that it may not stop,” he said.
The NIOB president also said that the growing number of unqualified individuals working on construction sites worsened the problem.
He said it has become common for people without the required training or professional certification to assume technical roles in building projects.
“On most construction sites today, everybody claims to be an engineer, even labourers.
“Without the requisite knowledge and understanding, people just assume roles they are not qualified for,” he said.
Kolade noted that professional builders are regulated by the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), which has the authority to register practitioners and discipline erring members.
He explained that builders found guilty of professional misconduct should face sanctions, including the withdrawal of their practicing licences.
However, he said the absence of a strong enforcement mechanism outside professional bodies makes it difficult to prosecute developers or project promoters who violate construction standards.
“In Nigeria, only one major case in Lagos saw the building promoter go down with the incident.
“In many other cases across the country, those responsible have walked free,” he said.
Kolade stressed that the built environment consists of several specialised professionals, each with defined responsibilities, including builders, architects and engineers.
He said the NIOB remained committed to promoting professionalism, ethical standards and quality assurance within the building industry.
March 13 is observed annually as Builders’ Day to create public awareness about the roles of professional builders and the importance of engaging qualified professionals in construction projects.
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Environment

Lagos Resumes Monthly Environmental Sanitation April 25

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7 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Lagos State Government has announced the resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, nearly a decade after it was suspended in the state.
Residents are expected to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in front of their homes, and dispose of waste responsibly as part of efforts to improve environmental hygiene and tackle waste management challenges.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Saturday, disclosed the development in a statement, explaining that the exercise would officially restart later in the year.
“I am pleased to inform all Lagosians that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume effective Saturday, 25th April 2026, holding on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
“During this period, residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility.”
Wahab urged residents to view the initiative as a shared duty toward building a healthier city, stressing that the government would ensure strict compliance.
“This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos. And it shall be backed with the full enforcement weight of the Lagos State Government,” he said.
Explaining the significance of reintroducing the sanitation culture, the commissioner said the state was returning to a practice that once formed part of Lagosians’ lifestyle.
“Let me formally say this and say it boldly. Mr Governor and his deputy are taking a very audacious step. For those who don’t know, prior to 2016, we had a culture that emphasised cleanliness as next to godliness.
“Once every month, we took our time to clean up our surroundings and then maintain them sparkling. However, for some years, we stopped it.”
He said the absence of the exercise had contributed to mounting environmental pressures in the state.
“Now, waste, debt, and environmental challenges have become an existential challenge to us as a state. It’s taken us over a year to debate, talk, and agree that it’s time to reintroduce a monthly environmental sanitation,” Wahab said.
Appealing to residents for cooperation, he urged Lagosians to dedicate a small portion of their time each month to environmental cleanliness.
“It’s a plea that it is time for us to give up just one or two hours a month. In our marketplaces, every Thursday, we observe environmental cleanliness. But this time, we are saying as a state, let us sit back once a month and observe the cleanliness of our environment as we used to before 2016.”
“The monthly sanitation exercise, previously held on the last Saturday of every month between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during the exercise.
The suspension later coincided with growing waste management concerns, including clogged drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse disposal across parts of the state.
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Environment

Illegal Buildings On Embassies’ Land Will Be Demolished – Wike

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7 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has condemned the construction of buildings on land allocated to foreign embassies in the diplomatic zone of Katampe Extension, Abuja, describing them as illegal structures.
Wike spoke on Friday while addressing journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects across the FCT.
He said the illegal structures would not be allowed to stand and ordered the demolition of the affected buildings.
During the tour, the minister inspected several roads and infrastructure projects, including the route linking Wuse to the Central Area, a road near the Body of Benchers complex, and the Tungan-Madaki road off the airport corridor.
He expressed confidence that many of the projects would be completed in time for the inauguration marking the third anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
On the illegal structures occupying embassy land, Wike said the plots had originally been allocated on March 18, 2008, to various diplomatic missions for residential purposes, but were later seized by an illegal developer who began construction without approval from the Federal Capital Development Authority.
“This land was allocated to various embassies in 2008. Somebody just came here, took the land, and started developing it on their own without approval from the FCDA. We cannot allow this kind of land invasion to continue,” he said.
Wike listed the diplomatic missions affected to include Thailand, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Montenegro, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, Senegal, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. A portion of the land had also been reserved for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria for a 132/133KV power station.
The minister said the FCTA had directed the Department of Development Control to demolish all structures on the land and restore it to its original purpose.
“I have told them to bring down every building standing on this land,” he said, adding that the affected embassies would be formally notified to take possession of their allocated plots.
Wike also disclosed that the suspected developer had been arrested and would soon be prosecuted.
“The man has been arrested and he will be charged in court. The police are carrying out their investigation and he will be charged any moment from now,” he said.
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