Posted by By Chimex Ndubuisi on
The Special Adviser to the governor on Environment and Sanitation Matters, Mr. Ipalibo Harry has warned residents of....
The Special Adviser to the governor on Environment and Sanitation Matters, Mr. Ipalibo Harry has warned residents of Port Harcourt to stop throwing refuse into gutters in order to allow free flow of water.
Speaking to newsmen last Saturday at the headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) along Aba road where property worth millions of naira were destroyed as a result of flood last Friday, Ipalibo said the residents of Port Harcourt must change their attitudes in order to move forward.
He said the flooding of parts of Port Harcourt in last Friday's downpour, which lasted for hours was as a result of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and waste into the drains by residents.
The special adviser said the state government was trying its best to control flooding by cleaning the drainages that are connected to the creek, which have been blocked by garbage, engine blocks, solid waste and other disused vehicle parts and household refuse.
He appealed to members of the public to stop dumping refuse indiscriminately into the Ntawogba creek and other canals in Port Harcourt, which had resulted in flooding of some parts of the city during major rainfalls.
Hon. Ipalibo made it clear that the canalisation work on the Ntawogba creek was still going on, adding that so much has been done by the state government on the creek and drainage system in the city to make it better, stressing that government's effort would come to nothing if people did not change their behaviour.
He appealed to the Federal Government to pay more attention to the environmental problems of the Niger Delta region, as it was prone to such flooding and environmental incidents.
The special adviser said that the services of some residents would be employed while people who throw refuse at gutters would be arrested to serve as deterrent to others. He hinted that government has done so much at the Ntawogba creek, urging Port Harcourt residents to co-operate with the state government, as more drainages would be constructed along the streets of Port Harcourt in order to check flooding.
In another development, all illegal structures at the state University of Science and Technology (RSUST) have been demolished.
Briefing newsmen at the site of the demolition exercise, the Special Adviser to the governor on Sanitation and Environmental Matters, Mr. Ipalibo Harry said it was in line with the school authority's decision to demolish the illegal structures after notice had been sent to them some months ago.
He said there were over 120 pit toilets in the area, which could be harmful to human beings, stressing that the place would be used to build a residential area for staff of the university.
On whether state government would compensate them after the demolition exercise, Ipalibo said that he would not know as the council Chairman has the final say on the matter.