Flooding: Nasarawa State To Demolish Structures Built On Water Ways
By Amina Mohammed, Lafia
The Nasarawa State Government has threatened to demolish all structures built on waterways to curtail any possible flooding.
Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Yakubu Kwanta stated this while briefing Journalists in Lafia after the August sanitation exercise.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Chief Environment Officer, Malam Abubakar Mohammed said the ministry was being proactive to prevent any disaster.
Kwanta explained that “the decision to demolish the structures followed the recent prediction by NiMET that there would be flooding in 25 states including Nasarawa State.”
He explained that “already the government had directed the residents of flood-prone areas to relocate to safer grounds.”
According to him, given the way flood had ravaged some parts of Nasarawa State in the past, the ministry would not allow anybody to block the waterways.
“When you block the waterways and prevent water from free flow, you are invited disaster, because anyhow it will find its way to pass,” Kwanta noted.
On the level of compliance on the sanitation exercise, the Commissioner expressed satisfaction and applauded the traditional rulers, Chairmen of Area Councils as well as the security agencies for the success of the exercise.
He said that “about 85 percent of the residents complied by looking at their shops and businesses to clean the surroundings during the sanitation exercise.”
He said the state was shut down during the exercise in line with the law, except those on essential services.
“We only allowed those with permission from relevant authorities and those on essential services to pass, and move around during the exercise,” he said
Kwanta called on members of the public to always keep their environment clean to guard against outbreaks of diseases.
Eighty-six persons suspected to have violated environmental sanitation laws across the state were arrested and prosecuted by various mobile courts in the respective LGAs.
Mercy Chukwudiebere