The Director General of the Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency, WUEDA, Hon. Godwin Ejinyere, on Monday led a team of the Agency’s civil engineers to Apala and adjoining streets in Okumagba Layout, Warri Township, to identify the causes of perennial flooding in the area.
The Agency’s visit was sequel to an earlier appeal by a delegation of residents of the affected streets for WUEDA’s intervention in the devastatingly perennial flooding affecting the locality, during which Prince Ejinyere promised to follow up on the issues raised.
On arrival at Apala/Giwa Amu streets junction, the residents who spoke through their representatives, Chief Femi Okumagba, Chief Felix Ogbodu, and Mr. God’spower Omadebo, told the WUEDA DG that flooding had been a nightmare to them for years, and thanked Governor Oborevwori for appointing Prince Ejinyere, an action man, as the DG of the Agency.
They alleged that the drainage channels at Giwa Amu street emptied all its water gathered from other streets into Apala street, a lower terrain.
The residents said Prince Ejinyer’s visit to the area was the first of its kind, expressing confidence that the Governor, through the Agency, would save the lives and property of residents of the affected streets.
They took Prince Ejinyere and his team on a guided tour of the flood-prone streets, pointing at blocked culverts and drains.
Notable among such points were Eraye/Apala streets junction; the heavily silted manhole on Apala street Umukoko/Okiti streets junction permanently blocked by solid wastes; the Apala/Fani-Kayode streets junction; and the blocked Enughe/Ugborikoko road junction which had no culvert to transport flood water to the storm water drainage channel at Maduku street.
Residents alleged that a landlord in the area blocked the entrance to her compound, refusing all attempts to open it up, following which Prince Ejinyere directed that the place be re-opened and connected to the Maduku street storm water drainage without further delay.
Okakuro Ejinyere said “We will do our part as an Agency but you as a community must do yours too by clearing all blocked drains so that flood water can flow freely.
“Govt will not allow anyone to build structures on natural waterways and any structure so built will be pulled down by the Agency to allow free flow of water”, he warned.
The WUEDA DG told the residents that the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori is a “Talk na do; therefore, the Agency’s civil engineers would do their best to find solutions to the technical issues raised.
He, however, directed residents to clean up the gutters in front of their shops or buildings pending the commencement of the Agency’s interventionist measures.
“Construction is not overnight; it is a process. If you clear the drains, we will pack the debris but if we clear the drains, you will pack the debris,” Ejinyere asserted.
He praised the people for being peaceful in their approach, promising that light would soon appear at the end of the tunnel.
Corroborating Prince Ejinyere’s promise, the Agency’s Director of Projects, Engineer Bemigho Ofoeyenor said a deeper and wider storm water drainage channel would soon be constructed along Airport road that would collect flood water from Apala and its adjoining streets, through Ugboroke into the Ekpan river, and appealed to the people for patience.
SOURCE: Media Dept; WUEDA
OKOWA Vs EFCC: Ex-Governor’s One-time Spokesperson Writes On The Facts, The...