RVHA Chides Council Authorities Over nimet Flood Predictions

The Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment has berated local government authorities over their poor response to the prediction of the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NIMET) on flooding.
The committee lamented that the precautionary measure put in place by some council authorities in anticipation of flood emergencies are poor.
Chairman of the Committee and lawmaker representing Gokana Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Dumle Mao stated this during the committees’ interface with council chairmen in Port Harcourt.
“I said that after hearing from the local government chairmen who are coming on Monday, we are going to have another meeting and that meeting will involve the relevant ministries and the local government chairmen.
“All of us are going to brainstorm on what to do to ensure that the issue of flooding is promptly addressed. Most of the local government chairmen are talking about funding. Sincerely some of them lack funding, especially people from the Orashi region.
“They (Orashi region) have experienced serious flooding and they need very important and serious support. So we are going to look at all that and make our recommendations to the House on what it should be,” the lawmaker said.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, Chairman of Gokana LGA, Paul Kobani said he has set up a committee to identify flood prone areas in his local government as well as measure to cater for the would-be victims.
“We asked the committee to identify the flood prone areas and the high ground places where we can settle the IDP’s. Sooner or later we will go to the relief materials.”
On his part, Chairman of Obio/Akpo LGA, Solomon Eke said he was working with the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning to remove structures built on natural waterways in his local government.
Eke said, “We will do more to bring the attention of the Urban Development people so that those people who have built illegally, such building should so that the water channel can be open.

Dennis Naku