Zero-Tolerance For Flooding

BY AWELE OGBOGU
SINCE climate change has learnt to rage without sparing any thoughts for the environment, responsive and responsible governments have learnt not to leave any room for its effects, especially by channeling enormous resources as well as taking proper steps to defeat the menace.
In Delta State, it’s obviously funeral rites for flooding as the Uduaghan administration is not looking back in its resolve to make the state free of flood waters and to arrest incidences in flood-prone areas as well as enhance the safety of the environment for human habitation.
Water is obviously a basic human necessity but easily becomes a hydra-headed monster, especially with the global climate change if human activities allow for this. Hence, the state government, apart from the massive award of drainage contracts to ensure the menace surrenders its rage in flood-prone areas, has also drawn people engaged in various sins against the environment by the ears, such as persons erecting buildings on natural waterways and blocking existing drainages and canals.
The sharp practices against the environment also include building without recourse to approved masterplans, encroachment on water bodies and poor environmental sanitation, which leave the door wide open to flooding and other environmental problems.
However, it is end-time for the menace considering the calibre of the opponent it is up against. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Frank Omare have been on the warfront of efforts to drive the problem, not to retreat but to surrender its incidence in the state once and for all.
During the inspection tours of affected areas, where measures have been taken to arrest the situation, human activities were discovered as cause of the flooding. This makes it necessary to point out, especially to those who believe they are only striving to survive, the need to put the environment first as it is the beginning and end of man’s very survival.
It is for this very reason that the Uduaghan administration has been engaged in the demolition of makeshift and illegal structures by people pointing at economic reasons as justification. It is also promoting a green economy initiative to prevent scars to the environment as a result of industrial activities.
With the reality of climate change, the falcon must now hear the falconer. There is, therefore, great need for Deltans, contractors and other stakeholders to fully co-operate with government to make the environment safe for human lives, and talking about survival, safe for the ongoing transformation of the state’s economy, which is obviously enhancing the lot of the people.