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  • NISafetyE warns of impending erosion disaster in A’Ibom

    NISafetyE warns of impending erosion disaster in A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers (NISafetyE) has warmed relevant agencies of government of impending gully erosion disaster in many parts of Eket Local Council of A’Ibom.

    NISafetyE President, Engr Akaninyene Ekong gave the warning in Eket yesterday when he led a delegation of experts from the Institution on an on the spot assessment of roads affected by gully erosion in the oil city.

    Ekong while giving an assessment of the state of the roads including Isong Udoito Street ,Umana Ndon ,Mkpok streets observed that, gully erosion has collapsed both sides of the roads, making it unsafe for motorists and passers-by with many properties already destroyed.

    He ststed that the structural integrity of the culverts and roads have been seriously compromised warning that if urgent intervention is not taken to check mate the situation more properties would be swept away by gully erosion.

    “Already, the menace of this gully erosion has rendered many homeless with properties destroyed. As rainy season begins, the situation is worsening as some part of the canal embankment has caved in.

    “Pedestrian, motorist and residents within the area are at risk as the roads can be washed away at any time especially with the onset of the heavy rains.” He said.

    The NISafetyE Boss stated that the NISafetyE is a division established by the Nigerian Society of Engineers with a mandate to prevent failures in Engineered Systems such as industrial process upset , roads ,buildings, bridges collapse , transportation through the adherence to Safety/Engineering Codes and Standards to ensure both Industrial and Public Safety.

    “As an institution, our immediate intervention and role on this situation is to firstly, communicate the hazard to the public/ motorist plying this road about the gully erosion danger ahead and also call on the State Ministry of Environment , the Eket Local Government Council Chairman for urgent intervention by closing the affected roads until repairs are made.” He said.

    Ekong however stated that the NISafetyE has strategically positioned physical barriers that would communicate the gully erosion danger ahead and called for urgent action by government to prevent deaths in the area adding that, “we must not wait for people to die before action is taken.”

  • Flight, Erosion control projects gulp N50B in A’Ibom

    Flight, Erosion control projects gulp N50B in A’Ibom

    Akwa Ibom State government has said it has so far spent about N50 billion on flood control projects in the state in the last seven years.

    It has also said that the N14 billion IBB Way World Bank assisted major flood control project in Uyo would be put into use at the end of the month, ending months of frustration and anxiety from residents over the growing menace of flooding in the state capital.

    State commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Mr Charles Udoh who disclosed this to newsmen in Uyo last weekend said some of the major flood control projects include those on IBB Way, Etim Umana Street, Ikpa road, Anua in Uyo and several others in other parts of the state.

    Udoh however blamed constant rain for the delay in the timely completion and delivery of many of the erosion control projects in the state.

    Besides rain, the Commisioner explained other secondary issues such as activities of vandals and the attitude of some residents on compensation payment slowed down the pace of work especially on the IBB Way flood control project which has exceeded it’s completion period by six months.

    According to him, “If you recount almost eight months, last year, work was stalled because of rain, we had a very unusual amount of rainfall and once the rain falls there is hardly any significant thing you , can do on these project sites, especially earth works,because once the soil is moisturized you can’t compact, that is why you see the work hasn’t been done.

    “Rain has been a major challenge, because anytime it rains it takes us about three days to recover. Another issue is the attitude of people for instance, a gentleman collected compensation fee on his asset and goes behind to petition the state government to world bank that we didn’t pay him, and unfortunately for him he thinks that we are not aware.

    “What we do in compensation is that if we are paying you, we will do evaluation, an international standard evaluation with a consultant too, your village head, chairman of the village council, youth leader etc will confirm your ownership of the asset and they will be present before giving you the compensation and we take pictures.

    “So this gentleman goes round saying that we didn’t pay him. Of course, the World bank knows how to settle such matters, for me it heartbreaking because this gentleman’s house was perpetually under the water and we are coming to help him take him out of his misery, but he is there trying to frustrate us,atleast he is not the only one who has done this there are many of them who do these things because of selfish interest.

    “We also have issues where in the precast drain, vandals have gone there to vandalise. The sad thing is that when the precast drain is being built, there are protruding rods that form the joinings to make it compact. At the dearth of the night, people will go and cut those rods and when you cut the rods that precast membrane is useless; it’s not going to stand alone.”

    The cimmissioner however expressed joy that despite the hicupps, work has reached 95% completion with the drain works.

    “Now we are almost 95% done with the main drain, we have completed the alignment from state secretariat, what is remaining is to join it with the one at Atiku Abubakar Avenue.

    “We have done parameter fencing in places where they are required especially in IBB Avenue, because if water sweeps someone there, such person is gone so we are going to put filters there just majorly for two reasons, one for safety of human lives and for it not to be a den of robbers or hoodlums.

    “We are just trying to be a bit fast because the world bank granted us one month extension so we are just working day and night to beat the deadline. The World bank window was closed last month, May, so as it stands now all the works need to be done on or before the end of June, even if the work is not completely done but at least before the end of June, water must be able to move from IBB to a the outfall comfortably.” Udoh said.

  • Uyo residents defy govt. vacation order from erosion areas

    Uyo residents defy govt. vacation order from erosion areas

    Residents of erosion prone areas in Uyo metropolis have defied government directive to vacate even as flood have continued to threaten buildings around those arears.

    The areas which include Asutan street, Ikpa and Uyo village roads have been completely cut off with buildings at the verge of collapse .

    It was gathered that instead of the residents to adhere to government directive to vacate the area, they sent save our soul message to Governor Udom Emmanuel requesting for alternative accommodation or compensation.

    The victims under the body of Asutan Street Ravine Neighbourhood landlord forum pleaded with the governor to either address the issue of ravine encroachment or pay them compensation to enable them relocate to safer environment.

    They however expressed fear that as the rains are getting intense, landslide may be triggered saying more buildings risk collapse.

    Similarly, residents of Ikpa road and its environs in Uyo have also raised the alarm over the collapsed section of the community road.

    It was gathered that the road which leads to the government Science Park and the Uyo City Polytechnic, a private institution in the state, collapsed due to encroachment of a deep gully erosion, thereby rendering the place impassable.

    Students of the Polytechnics, motorists and other residents have recounted the challenges and difficulties they face in crossing over the road.

    A resident who identified himself as Emmanuel Okon called on the state government to save lives and property by intervening on the road without delay.

    “We are calling on the state government to save us from this looming disaster. It needs urgent attention because if it rains two or three times again, the buildings will collapse.” He said.

    However , the commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals Mr. Charles Udoh, has in different fora advised the occupants of Asutan streets and other erosion prone areas to vacate to a safer place and save their lives first.

    Though no alternative provision was made for their relocation by the State government, the Commissioner has already issued threat notice with the erection of caution barriers around the vicinity.

    The statement in parts, “This was to allow for site evaluation survey, development of engineering drawings as well as Bill of Engineering Measurements and Evaluation to guide the restoration works. These processes are currently ongoing.

    “In the interim, members of the public are advised to avoid the vicinity, while motorists should use alternative routes.

    “Residents, citizens and businesses in the affected neighborhoods are advised to remain vigilant and evacuate the vicinity for now.”

  • Erosion displaces 3,000 families in Imo

    Erosion displaces 3,000 families in Imo

    No fewer than 3,000 families have been affected by an erosion menace ravaging Okohia Akwakuma in Owerri North council area of Imo state.

    The affected families have been ordered by the government to immediately relocate to avoid loss of lives.

    The state Commissioner for Environment, Iyke Njoku who spoke to journalists on the issue disclosed that the government is considering short, medium and long term measures to prevent the slide from escalating.

    He lamented that the situation was beyond the state considering the dwindling economic state.

    According to him, Imo has over 300 erosion sites which are gradually being looked into, stressing that the best for the inhabitants of these sites was to vacate the places to avoid calamity.

    He said, “we are calling on the Federal Government, Ecological Fund Office and international agencies to come to our aid to save the places from submerging.”

    Meanwhile, one of the affected persons who spoke to newsmen (name withheld) frowned at the lackadaisical attitude of the government in proffering a solution to the menace.

    “They have ordered us to relocate. Where are we going? Did they provide a place for us to stay? The government should act fast and stop being insensitive to our plight. Our homes are being submerged by the gully erosion and the government is paying lip service.”

  • Erosion Threatening Gwamai Bayan Makaranta Residential area, Farmlands-Residents.

    Erosion Threatening Gwamai Bayan Makaranta Residential area, Farmlands-Residents.

    By Jabiru Hassan, Kano.

    The residents of Gwamai bayan makaranta in Gwamai Town in Dawakin Tofa local goveeent area have called on the kano state government, ecological funds project and other stakeholders to save them from the erosion that is becoming a threat to their residents and farmlands.

    The spokesperson of the bayan makaranta residents Malam Auwalu Bala Gwamai told Daybreak news that their houses and farmlands are in danger because of the reel erosion that is washing away the surface of the area and digging out deep holes that resulted in dàmaging houses and farmlands every season when it rains.

    Auwalu Bala added that” we thank the chairman of Dawakin Tofa local government council Alhaji Ado Tambai Kwa who constructed a wide drainage that reduce the high impact of the erosion despite the financial scarcity facing local councils, and we hope that his excellency governor Abdullahi Ganduje would also come to our aid and control the erosion towards the end of the damaged locations”. He stated.

    Our reporter who visited the eroded area reported that government’s urgent intervention is very vital because houses and farmlands is seriously affected which needs technical control to save the residents and their farmlands.

  • Uyo residents lament threat of gully erosion

    Uyo residents lament threat of gully erosion

    By Some Ogenyi, Uyo

    Residents of erosion ravaged areas in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital and its environs have raised alarm over the threat posed by gullies that have swallowed more than 10 houses.

    This is even as more than fifty houses in the areas affected have also caved in.

    The areas worst hit by the gullies in the state capital included, Asutan street, Eka street, Ikpa road, Udo Inwang street off Nwaniba in Ewet Community, Afaha Oku Community, Etim Umana and St Luke’s Hospital, Anua.

    Following the impending doom that may be caused by the gully encroachment ,the State government directed residents of the affected areas to relocate from the areas to safer places.

    However residents of the erosion devastated areas in an interview expressed fear over the increasing danger posed by the gullies with the rains becoming severe.

    They further expressed dismay over the State government’s order for them to relocate without making alternative arrangement for such movement.

    A resident of Bassey Eta street who identified himself as Austin Etop said if government ask people to evacuate their residence, their should be a remedial arrangement to ameliorate their sufferings.

    Etop said the ravine in Asutan street had already caved into so many houses in the vicinity expressing fears that if nothing is urgently done this raining season, many people will be rendered homeless.

    He regretted that successive Commissioners of Environment had visited the gully site with promises of fixing the menace but were yet to fulfil their promises.

    “The primary responsibility of government is provision of welfare and protection of lives and properties. We are happy that the State government has constructed these roads you see here but before then we duly notified the contractors and other government representatives of the existing ravine seriously encroaching the houses in which they promised to work on.

    “The roads were commissioned without addressing that problem of erosion gully down there. This ravine has become a serious threat to the residents of the area, it is collapsing day by day. I don’t want to be pessimistic, if situation remains unattended, the July, August, September rains may leave many people here homeless.

    ” I want government to come to the aid of these people and if government asks people to evacuate, at least it should make alternative arrangement for them.”Etop said.

    Another resident, Akpan Akpan told our correspondent that matters were made worse by poorly terminated storm water drainage which channel rains from Wellington Bassey way, and other adjoining streets into the ravine.

    In his reaction, the Commissioner for Environment and petroleum resources, Mr. Ekong Sampson said it was better for the residents to relocate to a safer place while waiting for government’s assistance.

    “They must as a matter of urgency relocate to a safer place first. They must stay alive. The dead does not pay or receive rent. Government is putting measures in place for assistance, and for them to enjoy such assistance they must naturally be alive and in a safe place too.” Ekong added.