Stakeholders Want Flood Control Masterplan For PH

Stakeholders in the Environment sector are calling for an integrated flood management and drainage control masterplan for Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor.
This was part of the resolution at the just concluded technical meeting of the Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society Port Harcourt chapter also urged for regular desisting of the several creeks and rivulets crisscrossing the city, as they constitute the major evacuating points for waters from the city.
They also stressed the need for a shift of emphasis from donation of relief materials to flood affected areas to prevention and control.
The forum also stressed the need for the development of more cities in the state to reduce the pressure on Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor.
The guest lecturer, Professor Enuvie . Akpokodje of the Department of Geology University of Port Harcourt said that the masterplan must be done inline with international best practices, adding that a mitigation measure must be evolved to reduce the effect of flood and the risk associated with it.
The university Don who spoke on the theme: a management of flood in the Niger Delta, Port Harcourt case study said that the solution to flood in the region must be data driven.
On the problem of flooding along the East/West road, Akpokodje a and reconstruction of the road to raise its level above the flood plain.
Also speaking, former chairman of Nigerian environment society (NES) Dr. Olu Andah Wai Ogosu said that the society has not learnt any lesson from previous floodings.
The environmentalist also regretted the absence of a topographical map for Port Harcourt city and stressed the need for the active involvement of town planners in the future development of the city