By Emmanuel Ayungbe

Uyo—WORRIED by the perennial flood ravaging parts of Akwa Ibom State, Director, Centre for Wetlands and Waste Management Studies, CWWMS, University of Uyo, UNIUYO, Professor Gabriel Umoh, has blamed the problem on poor urban design and planning by government agencies.

This is just as the state government has appealed to the Word Bank for N32 billion to help tackle the flooding.

Umoh, a member of UNIUYO Governing Council and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, African Human Development Centre, AHDC, said: “The agencies of government charged with the responsibilities of managing the environment and planning the urban cities have not lived up to expectations.

“The infrastructural development of the metropolis, without a proper layout plan has given rise to the destruction of natural wetlands and blockage of water channels in most areas of the state.

“Developers are allowed to destroy wetlands and build their structures along natural water channels without taking into consideration the environmental effects of such untoward actions.”

… blasts ministry, others

The state Ministry of Environment, Uyo Capital City Development Authority, UCCDA, and other relevant agencies, according to him, appeared to have reneged in their regulatory responsibilities, forcing government to incur huge costs, running into billions of Naira, to tackle the scourge.

N32bn World Bank help

Meanwhile, worried over the problem of flooding in major streets in most urban cities, the state government has solicited assistance from the World Bank to the tune of N32 billion.

It is for the construction of underground flood channel that will complement the underground pipe jacking system that was constructed by former Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio.

According to the state’s Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Akparawa Inyang-eyen, the flood intervention project will be constructed from the flood-ravaged IBB Way, Uyo, to neighbouring Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

Also, the state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Iniobong Essien, who addressed journalists after the state environmental sanitation exercise, said: “The flooding problem along IBB Way will be tackled in collaboration with Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Manage-ment Project, NEWMAP.”