Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has sympathised with families and business owners affected by the flash floods triggered by Thursday’s heavy rainfall, urging residents to play their part in preventing future incidents by keeping drainage channels free of waste.
Speaking shortly after arriving at the Victor Attah International Airport from an official engagement outside the state, Eno acknowledged the government’s responsibility to respond to flooding but stressed that residents also have a duty to maintain their immediate environment.
“It is unfortunate that in our society, whenever anything happens, everybody says it is the government’s responsibility.
“That is okay; we are not going to run away from that responsibility. But this same flash flood has happened in Abuja, Lagos and several other parts of the country,” he said.
The governor noted that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had earlier issued warnings about heavy rainfall and possible flooding, adding that reducing the impact of such disasters requires collective action.
“The responsibility lies between the government and the people. We all have the responsibility to clean up our surroundings, remove refuse from waterways and unblock our drainage channels,” he said.
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Eno recalled that during the last environmental sanitation exercise, residents were encouraged to take responsibility for cleaning their neighbourhoods rather than relying solely on government intervention.
“Government should not come and clean the drains in front of people’s houses.
“We see people dumping refuse into drains and then waiting for the government to come and clear them.
“When we were growing up, and even today, people came out during weekends to clean their drainage channels. These are the things we should continue to do,” he added.
The governor assured residents that his administration would continue to desilt major drainage channels and intervene where necessary, but urged communities to take ownership of their surroundings.
“Where drains require major desilting, people should draw the government’s attention and we will come in to do the work. All of us, including you, are the government.
“Everyone must join hands to ensure our culverts and drainage channels are free-flowing so they do not become blocked.”
Describing the incident as a flash flood caused by intense rainfall, Eno said while the government could not prevent natural occurrences, it would continue to respond swiftly to emergencies and support flood mitigation efforts.
“The rains have just started. The government is not responsible for the rain; it is a natural occurrence. All hands must be on deck.
“Please, let us stop blocking our drainage channels. We will continue to do our best, but this is an appeal to all of us because Akwa Ibom is not the only place affected.
“Flash floods have occurred in many parts of the country. When they happen, we can only pray while also doing our part to reduce their impact,” he said.
