Rivers community decries poor response on floods

• Flood destroys bridge linking over 50 Oyo communities
• Fraud responsible for recurring flooding, say town planners

The flood-ravaged Akinima community in Ahoada West Local Council of Rivers State has decried the poor response by the state government to their plights.

The paramount ruler of the community, Mark Roman, lamented that the federal and state governments had not been proactive in responding to flooding problems in his community.

He said that flood palliatives should be given to traditional rulers for accountability.

Meanwhile, the state’s Commissioner for the Environment, Sydney Gbara, said IDP camps had been identified and put in place but assured that flood monitoring team would ensure that all the affected locations in the area get due attention.

He stated that the channels for palliative distribution remain at the council headquarters but said that the state might consider a review of the channels.

RELATEDLY, a bridge connecting over 50 communities in Ibarapa East Local Council of Oyo State has collapsed following heavy rainfall.

The Ipin River Bridge, which gave way under the intense downpour, has left residents stranded.

According to eyewitnesses, the rain, which began on Friday, October 11, 2024, persisted through Saturday morning, causing the bridge to collapse.

The affected communities have called on the Chairman of the council, Kazeem Arogundade, to expedite reconstruction efforts.

They also urged the Speaker of the House of Assembly, AdeboOgundoyin, who represents the constituency, to facilitate prompt action.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has attributed the recurring flooding in Nigeria to fraud, saying that people have deliberately neglected laws and order to promote practices against the environment.

National President of the Institute, Nathaniel Atebije, who stated this while addressing journalists in Enugu as part of activities for their yearly conference, stressed that flood is conceived as a result of conspiracy and neglect of the essence of physical planning.

Atebije, while lamenting the devastating effect of the trend to the environment, said that many people had not only been displaced, but that it had continued to affect the economic growth and development of the country.

He said the lack of physical planning or poorly regulated urbanization is the fundamental environmental fraud in Nigeria, adding that developers bypass and abuse environmental laws through corrupt practices, neglect of physical planning, unchecked urban sprawl, impunity, carelessness and recklessness in the location of developments.

He said that corruption and lax enforcement of zoning laws allow illegal structures to be built on floodplains and near riverbanks, adding that by obstructing natural waterways, these structures cause water to overflow into urban and rural settlements during heavy rains.

Atebije further lamented some of these developments might have got development permit through bribery or political connections, leading to a violation of environmental laws that protect flood-prone areas which ultimately.

He said that combating the problem required concerted efforts from governments, communities, and international organisations to ensure strict enforcement of environmental laws.