Environment
The Challenge Of Flooding In Ubie Kingdom
The season of rain is here, so also is the threat of flood. For some years now, especially since 2012, some communities in Rivers State especially those in flood-prone areas have been having sleepless nights over perennial floodings in their areas for this year as signs of flooding are very ominous especially going by the heavy down pour these days.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) had early this year, predicted serious flooding in some states in the country including Rivers State. For Rivers State, the agency had said eight local government areas will be heavily impacted while the rest will be mild as far as flood was concerned.
The eight local government areas are Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas as well as Abua/ Odual.
The rest are Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro, Gokana and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas.
For the people of Ubie Kingdom in Ahoada West Local Government Area, it is no longer news that another devastating flooding is on the way.
Ubie Kingdom with over 23 communities is located along the Orashi River.
Sources within the Kingdom told The Tide that since 2012, Ubie Kngdom and other Kingdoms in the Orashi region of Rivers State have experienced series of devastating flooding.
The Kingdom has lost lives, property of inestimable value, as well as its economic value in the scheme of things.
According to the source, farmlands have been washed off by flood, buildings destroyed while hunger and starvation have become the lot of the people.
The Tide also learnt that since help is not coming from anywhere, the people have decided to take their destinies in their hands.
Meanwhile, a cross section of residents of communities in the area who spoke in an interview with The Tide on the issue said several people have been displaced by flood in the area since 2012. They said none of them had received any support from any quarters as far as flood incidence was concerned in the area.
They, however, blamed the Federal Government for abandoning the communities to their fate.
According to the Eze Igbu Ubie of Ubie Kingdom, Okpokiri, no Eze Augustine Maxwell Okpokiri no support in form of relief materials has been given to the people by the Federal Government.
Eze Okpokiri said his people have lost their farmlands and buildings to the flooding, adding that even last year, one life was lost.
He said even economic activities have been stalled, adding that farmers have started harvesting their crops and selling them at give away prices for fear of them being destroyed by the flood.
The Ubie monarch said hunger is staring his people in the face, stressing that the people need the support of the government.
Okpokiri also advised the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure that relief materials get to the right people.
Also speaking, Eze Nelson .B. Okwa, the traditional ruler of Ekamini Ubie Kingdom, said his people are experiencing hardship as a result of perennial flooding in the area.
“The suffering is very much. We don’t know whether we belong to this country, whether the Federal Government is to take care of us or whether we belong to our own. “For now, there is no way out”, he said.
Eze Okwa said thousands of his people are struggling to survive after the devastation caused by last year’s flooding.
“As I,m telling you now, go to my house, go to my village, you will see the communities’ farmlands are in problem”.
He also said people are deserting the communities because of the disaster.
The community leader however absolved the Rivers State Government of blame, adding that the Federal Government should be solely held responsible as far as rehabilitation of flood victims is concerned.
Also speaking, Chief Jonah Odoyi from Ombo Community said his people are not happy, adding that since 2012, the area has experienced severe flooding on annual basis.
By: John Bibor
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.
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