Abia to begin urgent flood, erosion control works in affected communities

The Abia State Government says it will commence urgent intervention and mitigation works at flood and erosion sites in affected rural communities in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting in Umuahia on Tuesday.

Mr Kanu said the intervention followed Governor Alex Otti’s directive to the Ministry of Environment to take immediate action in the affected communities.

The communities are Amamba Uzuakoli in Bende Local Government Area, and Ipupe Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government Area.

“Let me report that relief will soon come the way of inhabitants of Amamba Uzuakoli flood and erosion site in Bende Local Government Area and Ipupe, Ubakala flood site in Umuahia South Local Government Area,” Mr Kanu said.

According to him, the governor directed the Commissioner for Environment to deploy urgent intervention measures to reclaim degraded land and avert further destruction.

He said the Commissioner for Environment had already visited the affected sites with a team of engineers to conduct on-the-spot assessments of the damage.

“The ministry is intensifying efforts to ensure that mitigation works commence immediately in the affected communities,” he added.

Mr Kanu also disclosed that the Abia State Climate Change Policy Document was awaiting the governor’s approval, describing it as a major step toward addressing environmental challenges in the state.

“As soon as the governor signs off on that policy document, it will become operational,” he said.

“This development will make the international community to begin to take Abia State more seriously in its efforts to combat climate change, particularly with regards to opening up several climate funding opportunities across sectors in the state.”

Mr Kanu noted that implementation of the policy would also help reduce the impact of climate-related challenges such as flooding, erosion, heat waves and food insecurity.

He further said the Ministry of Environment had sustained its house-to-house sanitary inspection exercise across the 17 local government areas of the state.

He said that during the period under review, 103 villages were visited for sensitisation, health education and sanitary inspections, while about 9,000 premises were inspected.

According to him, 37,500 premises received abatement notices for environmental health violations, while 2,500 premises achieved compliance after follow-up inspections.

“With these sanitary inspection interventions, Abia State continues to score very highly in environmental cleanliness among the comity of states in the country,” he said.