_By Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe_
Following the recent flood warning by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, the Director General of the Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency, (WUEDA), Hon. Prince Godwin Ejinyere has repeatedly mobilized residents of the Agency’s mandate areas to clear the blocked drains in front of their premises to avert heavy flooding and its devastating effects in September and October.
In its recent weather forecast, NIMET had predicted that there would be heavy flooding in parts of Nigeria between July and September this year in the southern states, as well as in Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Kaduna states, and the FCT in the North.
NIMET also predicted that 33 states and 135 LGAs were at high risk of flooding, while 19 states and 44 LGAs were at lower risk.
To ensure that residents complied fully with the order, Prince Ejinyere and his team had been going round the metropolis to monitor the de-silting exercise, using hired trucks to evacuate the debris to dump sites.
The focus of Prince Ejinyere and his team of WUEDA’s civil engineers is to ensure that the links between the drains and the storm water drainage channels are open for easy transportation of heavy flood water from all parts of the City to the Warri River.
The Agency had also been involved in the massive de-silting of deep and wide storm water drainage channels in the Agency’s mandate areas, in synergy with Levant Construction Company.
The drainage channels already de-silted by WUEDA and Levant joint venture include NPA expressway from Ugbuwangue to Edjeba River; Edjeba Community through Govt House Annex to Edjeba River; General Hospital to Ajamogha Link Road; General Hospital Road through Nana College Road to Esisi Road; Willy Edema Esisi River; and the drainage on Swamp and Baptist Church roads.
Other storm water drains de-silted by the WUEDA/Levant joint venture are G. Wilson at Edjeba community; all the heavy drainage channels that link Okumagba Layout to Upper and Lower Erejuwa bridge, through Okere road bridge, to Esisi road bridge, to the Warri River; as well as the drainage on Fani Kayode street, all in Warri metropolis.
The de-silting of many other blocked drains in the Oil City is still ongoing.
Consequently, residents of WUEDA mandate areas have commended Prince Godwin Ejinyere, his WUEDA team of civil engineers, and the Levant Construction Company, for their joint intervention in this regard, which they said had made them heave a sigh of relief over the impending heavy flood disaster forecast by NIMET.
Meanwhile, Prince Godwin Ejinyere has resounded his note of warning to residents of the metropolis against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains, to avoid blockade that could lead to heavy flooding in September and October this year as forecast by NIMET.
The WUEDA DG also strongly advised all residents to evacuate their refuse through the Private Sector Participants, PSPs, who have the capacity to collect and evacuate refuse to approved dump sites, to forestall the blocking of drainage channels, warning that offenders would be prosecuted.
SOURCE: Media Dept; WUEDA
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