Cross River Govt warns against dumping refuse in waterways

BABATUNDE SCOTT

The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), on Monday, warned residents living in flooded areas in Calabar metropolis to desist from dumping refuse along the water channels.

Mr John Inaku, Director General of SEMA in the state, Mr John Inaku, who gave the warning in Calabar, decried the rate of flooding in some parts of Calabar, while attributing the problem to the high volume of refuse being dumped along the water channels.

He said that the refuse had blocked the free flow of water through the channels, noting that this was dangerous to the occupants.

The director general mentioned some of the flooded areas in Calabar to include: Efiote Round About, Parliamentary Road, Target St. by Goldie, Ekpo-Abasi Junction, MCC Road, Federal Housing by SPC Junction, among others.

Inaku said that the agency had carried out sensitization programmes on radio, television and during town hall meetings to enlighten residents on the dangers of dumping refuse along the waterways.

“In the past few weeks, we have experienced massive flooding in some parts of the state capital.

“This flooding usually occurs because the channels are not opened to the free flow of water.

“Residents living in such areas should desist from dumping refuse along the waterways. People must learn to imbibe sustainable and progressive environmental practices.

“As an agency, we are also encouraging residents of Calabar to plant trees and maintain a good hygienic environment.

“People seeking residential houses should be careful in choosing where to live, so as to avoid living in buildings built on waterways’’, he said.

Inaku said that the agency had embarked on aggressive public enlightenment campaigns on environmental and disaster management issues.