Residents of Nkemba Street, Uyo Akwa Ibom State have denied the media report that two lives were lost in their locality at the Thursday flash flood occasioned by the torrential rains.
They stated this during the monitoring of an ongoing desilting exercise in the area by the State Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Youth President , Mr. Francis Jumbo, described the reports of fatalities as false, stressing that although the flooding caused significant damage to property, but no life was lost.
Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nsikak Ekong,at the exercise urged residents to desist from dumping refuse into drainage channels, noting that gutters serve as designated waterways and must remain free to allow the unhindered flow of stormwater.
Condemning the spate of structures on top of drainages, the Commissioner announced that no effort will be spared to remove such structures to ensure free flow of water.
He said, “I’ve interacted with the village head and members of the community, and no life was lost. The worst hit location of the flood on this Nkemba axis, was the Church of Christ vicinity, and there was no casualty”.
Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), Dr. Ubong Harrison, said the agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, has been monitoring desilting operations across the state in line with Governor Umo Eno’s directive.
He assured residents that the ongoing desilting exercise would improve the free flow of water through drainage systems and help prevent a recurrence of such flooding incidents.
