Water, an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, is the main constituent of the Earth and is vital for all known forms of life.
But as important as water is, it is the very best served in a cup as its overflow, better known as flood, could be disastrous, leading to loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and decline in health conditions owing to waterborne diseases.
To mitigate its effects, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) at the beginning of the year, predicted that 28 states and the FCT to be flood-prone and likely to experience more devastating floods from the end of August to early October.
The agency’s prediction, in its Annual Flood Outlook publication for 2021, warned Nigerians, particularly those living in the coastal and riverine areas, including cities and communities to take steps and prepare for the flooding that was to come.
How prepared was Akwa Ibom state to contend with the impending 2021 disaster in the areas of sensitization and awareness campaigns as well as clearance of drains and waterways?
Correspondent DIANIME UKO in this special report considers the devastating impacts of flooding on the livelihood of Akwa Ibom citizens.
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has urged all Street traders and operators of illegal markets especially around the Ibom plaza, and other highbrow areas within the state to relocate to designated points, with immediate effect.
Chairman, House Committee on Works and Transport and member representing Eket State Constituency – Rt. Hon. David Lawrence, announced this, Monday, during the committee’s sitting on a motion for an urgent need to decongest clogged-up areas in the metropolis with special reference to Ibom plaza, Itam Junction, and other areas.
He noted that activities of Street traders and illegal markets impede the free flow of traffic and expose traders and the general public to road hazards.
Briefing the committee, chairman Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Hon. Prince Ikim decried the negative effects of the menace and the challenges faced by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency; AKSEPWMA in evicting street traders and illegal motor parks.
In his words: “Mr. Chairman, I want to discuss the way it is as a man in the field. The issue of roadside trading and illegal motor parks around the University of Uyo, Itam, and sundry highbrow areas are caused by certain factors. One, “politics”. It is not a hidden truth that the management of Ibom plaza, around the plaza, and inside the plaza was “politically” constituted. Inside the plaza, there’s different management, and outside has who controls it, thereby legitimating illegitimacy. Most of the people sitting out there are paying for tickets. Some of them also sitting inside there are paying for the space they are using, and they are paying to different authorities. This makes enforcement to be very difficult.”
Continuing, Ikim noted that the situation makes the job of eviction, which his agency had been in the forefront, an unrealistic one.
“We must take it into consideration that this government has a human face; by the time a trader walks up to you during enforcement and tells you ” I have paid” and you try to fathom who he/she paid to, it makes you the enforcer look stupid. It boils down to political committees, set up around the place, by only God knows who,” he added
Ikim also noted that there is an ongoing battle about who controls the Ibom plaza – Ministry of Culture and Tourism or the Local Government or the village.
“It is that tussle that has allowed the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to have control over traders inside the plaza, while Uyo village controls those outside the plaza. These have encumbered our previously dispensed efforts in evacuating them”, he said.
In a related development, Hon. Udosen who was acting on the directives of the Speaker of the 7th Assembly of The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, frowned at the level of congestion constituted by the mini market and motor park at the University of Uyo and issued a warning to the Management of the school to relocate, with immediate effect, the mini market and campus-shuttle motor park by the school’s entrance into the campus as a measure of decongesting the area.
Attendants at the meeting included the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corp; FRSC, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Anti-Touting Enforcement Agency, Park Managements, ROTAN, ROTAON, Motorcyclist Associations and sundry Associations and stakeholders in the transport sector.
The Federal Government has extended the ongoing National Identification Number and Subscriber Identity Module integration exercise by eight weeks.
News of the extension was contained in a statement signed by spokespersons of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigeria Identity Management Commission.
According to the statement, which was dated February 1, the extension was approved by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. ISA PANTAMI.
The statement noted that Dr. PANTAMI specified the extension is to give Nigerians and legal residents more time to integrate their NIN with the SIM,”
The new deadline for the exercise is now April 6.
