The multi Billion Naira pipe jacking drainage project in Akwa Ibom has come under threat due to the inability of the state government to conduct periodic maintenance on the facility.
The N13.6 billion undergeound drainage system in Uyo was built by ex Governor Godswill Akpabio and commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 to distill flood waters threatening lives, properties and markets at the Itam axis of the state capital.
But the project described as the first of it’s kind in Africa is facing neglect as the channels to the 40metres underground pipes conveying flood waters are being blocked with debris with no noticable government effort to clear them.
Besides, the outflow is beginning to be overgrown with weeds, sand blocking the holes while erosion has eaten deep into the only service and access road to the outfall even as the speed of water into the outfall have reduced due to increasing blockage of the smaller water carrying pipes.
The pipe jacking method according to Julius Berger, had water drainage capacity of about 29m3/s with DN2000 and has improved self-cleansing capability of the pipes but in open drains, however additional manpower was not engaged after the construction to clean them periodically.
Newsmen who visited Ikot Ekan, host community of the underground drainage system on Monday got mixed feeling reactions from the residents of on the wellbeing of the project about 10 years after it was inaugurated.
While they still expressed joy and kudos to state government for the facility which has helped to turn the hitherto water locked area to dry land on one side, they also in another hand, raised concerns that the drains system is being threatened that if urgent steps are not taken could impede the smooth functioning of the facility.
The challenges include poor environmental habit by some of the residents, pedestrians and even motorists who dump empty cans, used sachets and bottles of table water and other refuse into the gutter.
They however maintained that if the facility must continue to function optimally the state government should take steps to clear sand and other refuse from the gutters before it becomes too late.
In the meantime, the state government has said that emphasis would remain on the timely completion of the N14B IBB Avenue drainage project and the distillation of major open drains that has hampered water flow and constituted a risk to lives of residents within Uyo metropolis.
