Cross River State Government has cautioned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in gutters and other drainage channels across the state, warning that violators would be made to face the full weight of the law.

The Executive Secretary of Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA), Dr Effiong Ayi who gave the warning during the inspection of some flooded areas in the Calabar metropolis after Friday’s heavy rains said the agency had observed with dismay the continued violation of the state government’s directive on proper disposal of waste in dumpsters by some residents of the state, particularly Calabar.

He emphasised that drainage systems are not waste disposal facilities and should not be used as dumping grounds.

Dr Ayi stated that, “This act has not only undermined the agency’s efforts at maintaining a clean and healthy city, but has also encouraged the activities of scavengers who deface the environment by scattering waste.”

While calling on residents to take responsibility for environmental sanitation by clearing blocked drainages and stopping indiscriminate refuse disposal to avert flooding in the area, he warned that any resident caught disposing of waste in gutters and other water channels would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

He observed that several drains are clogged with heavy silt, plastics, household and industrial waste citing the one at Efut Effio – Ene area in Calabar South where you find things such as old discaded engine blocks, old furnitures and everything you can imagine.

He said while government is investing in infrastructure and has deployed huge sums of money for the services of a swamp buggy to desilt major drainages in the state capital, he said community members must play their part to keep the environment clean, noting that clogged drainage channels remain a major cause of flooding in the city.

“Government is working and disilting drainages across Calabar and has provided dumpsters for refuse disposal all over the city, if you want to dump your waste, just go and throw your garbage in to them neatly and the trucks will come and pick it up and take it to where it has to go,” he said.

The Executive Secretary warned that blocked water channels across Calabar metropolis pose a serious flood risk as the rainy season intensifies and urged residents to make drainage clearance a collective responsibility.

“I want to urge sons, daughters and all residents of Calabar to see it as a collective responsibility to clear our water drainage and not dump refuse in the gutters, as this also leads to flooding.

“The recent devastating floods are a serious warning to us all. Dumping refuse into gutters blocks drainage channels, leading to flooding that destroys homes, businesses, roads and even claim lives”, he said.

“Government is doing their job, so residents also need to do their job by not dumping refuse inside gutters. All our drainage have been blocked, we need to do the needful by clearing them,” he said.

He said the cleanliness of the streets and the gutters would avert floods and the outbreak of epidemic, especially malaria and lassa fever.

He urged residents to come out on environmental sanitation days to join hands in the disilting of gutters around them as government is doing everything possible to help with flood mitigation, including the dredging of drains and other interventions, adding that the issue of flooding in the state will soon be a thing of the past.

The Clan head of Efut Efio-Ene, Muri Ekong Umo Ekpo who spoke during the inspection expressed happiness over what he described as the good job being done by the state government through the executive secretary of CUDA and his team since the inception of the Governor Bassey Otu administration, adding that it showed that the government is working.

The monarch recalled that hitherto, there was a serious blockage in Channel 1 drainage and whenever it rained the area got flooded and many lives lost, adding that with this development, “I am sure there will be free flow of water and we the residents, will maintain this during environmental sanitation and on regular basis, dispose our dirts properly.