From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Kaduna State Government has launched a massive dredging and expansion of waterways in flood-prone areas, determined to avert the kind of devastation that crippled parts of the state last year.
This followed early warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which listed Kaduna among states likely to witness heavy downpours, flash floods, and windstorms this rainy season.
During an inspection of ongoing dredging at Ifira, along the Kaduna International Airport road in Igabi Local Government, Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, said the government had mapped out vulnerable spots for urgent intervention.
According to him, “This entire place was blocked before, but we have now opened up about 800 metres of the river. It will ease water flow and forestall disasters like we saw last year,” Buba said.
“This road is a major route to the Kaduna International Airport. We cannot afford any disruption.”
The Commissioner assured residents of the government’s commitment to achieving a flood-free season, but warned them against turning drainages into dump sites.
He disclosed that a mobile court under the Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) had been set up to try offenders caught dumping refuse into waterways.
The dredging, he noted, is being jointly supervised by the Ministry of Environment, Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), National Orientation Agency (NOA,) and other stakeholders.
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