Benue State government has urged residents to desist from pouring refuse into drainages and other water channels to prevent cases of flooding in the state.
This is coming few days after a heavy downpour in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, left some parts of the town flooded and drowning a three year old boy.
The two-day rain also pulled down fences, washed off farms and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
The state government also warned against construction of illegal structures on water channels and unauthorized places.
Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Dondu Agile stated this during a tour of flood ravaged areas in Makurdi.
He was accompanied on the tour by the General manager of Urban development, Saint Gbelikaa, Information Commissioner, Ngunaan Adingi and others.
Agile said drianages were blocked by refuse, plastics and empty bottles causing the flood witnessed in the state.
He warned people and communities located near flood prone areas to avoid blocking the water channels saying goverment was making plans to build concrete gutters so that water would flow freely while arrangements were also being made to clear the refuse in town.
The Next Edition recalls that the two days rain submerged over 300 houses in Makurdi including the building housing an organization; “Old Peoples Care Home” located in Judges Quarters Extension, along Gboko road, displacing the elderly peoole staying there.
Other residents behind Living Faith Church, Naka road and Achusa and Wadata Ricemill, were left with collapsed fences and flooded homes. The Wurukum Market located by the roundabout was also flooded as shop owners continued to lament their losses several days after.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Kachi Menga, stated that the Wurukum market was always flooded because it was built on water channel.
He said government was already making plans to relocate the market to a flood free area.
“We have concluded arrangements to relocate the traders to a safer place from this area, but some people took the state government to court for attempting to relocate the market. However, we have engaged those people with a view to resolve the matter amicably and very soon the traders will be relocated to a permanent site because the wurukum site is a temporal one.
“We are also making arrangements to open drainages in and around the Modern and Wadata markets to prevent them from being flooded,” he said
