Environment
How Rainstorm Wreaked Havoc In Port Harcourt
Some residents and
corporate bodies in Port Harcourt City and environs are still counting their losses occasioned by devastation caused by severe rainstorm two weeks ago.
As at the time of filing this report, over fifty houses, billboards, vehicles and a number of poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) were severely damaged by the storm.
Some of the corporate citizens who were counting their losses include, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, City Crown Hotel, Iwofe road, Port Harcourt and a number of others whose billboards were affected in one way or the other in the incident.
Some residential buildings were deroofed particularly those at Rumuola, Iwofe, Igbo Etche, Rumuokoro, Rumuokwuta, Emohua and other areas.
A number of trees were also felled by the storm, while at Rumuola junction, a giant billboard allegedly owned by one of the corporate bodies in Port Harcourt was uprooted and placed on top of a storey building. Similarly, a number of electricity poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) were damaged in several locations across Port Harcourt City and its environs.
Six electricity poles were damaged at Igbo Etche throwing the area into darkness, some were damaged at GRA phases I and II, Borikiri as well as Rumuok-wurusi axis of Port Harcourt.
The PHEDC has put the number of poles damaged so far to over 300, while a number of transformers also suffered similar fate. In a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Manager, Corporate Communication, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Mr. John Onyi, said that two 33kvs and five 11kvs feeders, especially those in the Rivers State University, (RSU) Rumuomoi, Federal Housing Estate, Wokoma Street, Bori Camp and Rumuola were all affected.
Onyi regretted the incident stressing that the firm sympathised with consumers over the incident. The Rector, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Dr Samuel Kalagbor told newsmen that the incident affected over seven buildings in the institution.
Kalagbor said that the destruction occurred when students were in the class writing their semester examination, stressing that the school had to call of the examination as most of the classrooms were affected.
The Rector called for urgent intervention from the government as the level of destruction is beyond what the school can handle alone.
The Commssioner for Special Duties, Emeka Onowu who visited the institution to inspect the level of damage, regretted the incident, stressing that the state government is happy that no life was lost.
Onowu, however cautioned residents against trying to remove property under heavy windstorm.
Though the manage of City Crown Hotel, Iwofe road, could not be reached for comment, a senior staff who spoke under condition of anonymity, said that the management is battling to restore the hospitality outfit back to its normal condition.
Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the level of damage caused by the storm.
A landlord, Chief Andy Eze, told The Tide in an interview that those affected by the incident need the support of both the state and federal governments.
He said in other parts of the country, people who suffered this type of problems were usually provided with relief materials.
Also speaking, a Professor of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Mark Anikpo, said the persistency of such incidence may lead to more sufferings for the human population.
According to him, the situation could lead to food crisis as more farmlands will be washed off, while severe flooding will be experienced.
He stressed the need to step up campaigns against the erection of structures on water right of ways. Prof. Anikpo also warned against unnecessary movement during rainstorm occasioned by lightening as that can lead to loss of lives.
He also advised against living nearer to big trees and electricity poles.
Similarly, a lecturer at the Institute of Geosciences, Rivers State University, Dr. Precious Ede advised people to always plant trees with long tap roots to avoid them falling on houses during windstorm.
The university Don, who spoke in Port Harcourt also stressed the need for people to be vigilant as more of the incidents may be experienced this year in the state.
Also speaking, the Programme Director, Centre for Environment Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Mr. Steve Obodoekwe, regretted that the incident occurred when there is extreme hardship in the country.
“The recent windstorm caused a lot of havoc in some parts of Port Harcourt.
“At this period of extreme hardship, peoples’ houses were deroofed, government and public spirited individuals and corporate bodies should consider it as a serious disaster and come to the aid of those affected.
Obodoekwe also stressed the need for the relevant authorities to visit the affected areas to assess the extent of damages with a view to working out emergency assistance in form of relief materials. For Mrs Binbeke Deele, a business woman, the incident is regrettable.
“I felt so bad when this incident happened. Some of these people cannot afford to buy the materials for the buildings of their houses.
“Government should help those who lost their property. Those who are rich should also help those poor people.
On his part, the chairman, Health, Safety and Environment Committee, Chinwo Town, Port Harcourt, Prince William Chinwo stressed the need for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of the people.
Some residents of Port Harcourt and its environs have reacted to the impending flooding in parts of the country, including Rivers state.
It would be recalled that the federal government last week predicted flooding in some states in the country, including Rivers State.
A cross session of residents who spoke to The Tide on the issue said time has come for residents to be careful about the way they managed their waste, especially at this time of the year.
According to them, people must avoid blocking water channels as well as indiscriminate dumping of waste into water channels.
Speaking with The Tide, an Environmentalist, Elder Blessing Jackson Tiko, called for caution by residents of Port Harcourt and its environs
Tiko who was a former deputy operational officer Phalga Environmental Sanitation Taskforce, said people must be conscious of the way and manner that they manage their waste.
“We know that we have the rain and if you watch it is coming especially this month of July,it would rain and rain and rain
“We have to be very conscious of how we manage our environmental system, the way we throw our waste and how we evacuate it so that every where will be open for water to move freely
“Water doesn’t want blockage, water wants free flow, ’he said
Tiko urged state governments to liaise with the federal government and development agencies to dredge and open up river channels to enable Water move freely.
He particularly called on the Niger Delta Basine Development Authority and the Niger Delta Development Commission to liaise with state governments in the quest to end flooding in the states.
Also speaking, Mrs. Alice. A. Alabo a trader at Mile 3 Port Harcourt, urged the state government to do something on the constant flooding at the Abuja bypass in Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt,
She said the bypass is always flooded at every little rainfalls stressing that something must be done about it.
Alabo also told The Tide Correspondents that the Abuja bypass has no receptacles and called on the management of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency to provide receptacles for the people, to ensure proper waste disposal in the area.
“The government should provide us with receptacles for us to properly place our waste which is causing the flooding in the area.
A shop owner Dickey, Livia Marko lemanted the incessant flooding along the Abuja bypass, adding that the situation is affecting their businesses.
“We have been begging the Rivers State Government and the local government to come to our aid.
“The Ego Line Progressive Union contributes N10,000 every year to make sure that we evacuate the drainage.
“We called the Hausa boys to come and clean from the beginning to the end of the tunnel which leads to the Interwoba
“So immediately after each rainfall within 10 minutes it will dry otherwise we cannot stay in our shop.
“I am begging the government to come to our rescue, even if they want to open the gutter or canal. It will help in preventing the flooding or they should clean the gutters starting from Ikwerre Road to the Interwoba axis”, he said
On his part,Mr. Ajaka Olawa, lamented that the flooding in Timber area by Abuja bypass area is so terrible that no businesses can easily be carried on in the area.
He blamed it on the continuous blockage of drainages
. “I can’t remember the last time the government came to clean the drainage, so when it rains we find it difficult to stay here.
“Some of our shops are wet because of the flooding. And if the rain falls heavily, we pack our goods. If not. they get damaged, and I am expecting this message to reach the government for them to do something about it”
“The people, the government gives the job are not being followed up, that’s why the road is still looking bad,
“The government is trying, but they should put more effort to make sure that the jobs are being carried out.
Also, Mr. Chukuma said, during the flooding along Abuja bypass by Timber, no activities take place.
He said that if rain falls, either little or heavy, none can use the road because the road will be inundated by water. Sometimes it takes two to three days for the water to dry.
According to him, eight years ago, the former governor was here to see things for himself, but nothing happened till he left office.
By: Victoria Gilbert / Ossia Victory
Following the rising impact of toxic waste in the Niger Delta communities in Nigeria, an Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has urged oil-producing communities in the region to monitor their environment and report incidents of pollution or other environmental hazards in real time to appropriate authorities.
The Project Manager, Communities and Culture, HOMEF, Cadmus Atake gave the advice last Friday during a Community Environmental Monitoring Training for the people of Nembe, Town-Brass in Bayelsa and Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom States respectively which was held in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Atake said though the extractive activities of oil companies have impacted negatively on the communities, the people still have a role to play in protecting the environment by not throwing plastics in the water bodies or engaging in activities inimical to the environment.
He said, “The purpose is to train the people on how they can monitor their environment that has been impacted by extractive activities, for them to observe the changes that occur in their environment and things they see when they go out to fish.”
Atake also harped on the need for documentation and reporting of the identified environmental challenges or pollution, saying that monitoring without reporting would be an effort in futility even as he tasked them with the accuracy, authenticity and originality of data without any mutilation.
He encouraged people to use mobile phones to take real-time photos and videos without editing the images in the case of pollution or oil spills.
His words, “Reporting is an essential aspect of any monitoring activity. It affords the opportunities to track the activity and its impacts. It makes an activity visible and draws attention to it. Also, it helps to identify associated risks and to know the required controls and learning outcomes needed to prevent the reoccurrence of failures of an activity. No monitoring exercise is complete without a report of observations and a point of action.
“You must identify what caused the pollution, state the name of the community and landmark and if possible, use GPS, time and date the pollution was observed.”
One of the participants, OmusuoDieworio from Bayelsa State noted that apart from the activities of the multinationals, the people have contributed to the disappearance of fishes in the rivers by dumping refuse and plastic wastes inside the river which posed a great threat to fishes even as he urged community leaders to promulgate laws prohibiting that and the youth leaders to ensure the enforcement.
“Our people should be sensitized on the hazards of toxic waste. We should put laws that are binding on us. Our fishermen should discipline themselves enough after drinking sachet water eating should not drop the waterproof inside the water. They should also be discouraged from using dynamite and other chemicals for fishing as all these are harmful to both the aquatic animals and human beings that will consume it.” He said.
Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, UmoIsua-Ikoh of the Peace Pact Development Foundation, said the provision in the PIA where the community should forfeit its 3% development fund in case of pipeline vandalism criminalizes the community and should be expunged noting that no community will agree to vandalize pipeline but an individual or a criminal.
He said they should go after anyone who vandalises pipelines and not make the entire community bear the brunt of one person.
On his part, Stephen Oduware, the Program Manager at Fossil Politics, called on the communities to network with CSOs, CBOs, doctors, lawyers, media especially those from their communities and other community members who have the community at heart to advocate at all fronts.
“The community people should partner with CSOs, CBOs so that they will be able to advocate from all fronts from the health implication of this pollution from the legal and human right violations as a result of this pollution, land grabbing and then they will be able to get well-researched works from the academics, we believe that with this network they will be able to push for the justice they needed.” He said.
The Delta State Govern-
ment says it is working hard to tackle the issue of climate change in the state.
Special Adviser to the state Governor on Sustainable Development Goals) (SDGs, Lady Diana Eyo _Enoette, said this in an interview with newsmen during the launching of Green City Project in Port Harcourt.
She said the government was doing this by raising awareness on the impact of climate change in the State and also control the indiscriminate dumping of waste across the State.
Eye-Emoette said government has also setup scouts across the State to embark on tree planting campaign in all nooks and crannies of Delta State.
She said time has come for governments across the Niger Delta region to create more awareness on climate change, adding that continuous human activities in the region have made it vulnerable to climate change
Diana described her government as a leading voice on climate change as far as the Niger Delta region is concerned and stressed the need for other governments in the region to follow suit.
She said Green City’s initiatives have become a potent weapon in fighting climate change, stressing that the initiative is coming at the appropriate time.
The special advise said governments across the country should key into the green city’s projects inorder to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, a university teacher, Professor Magnus Onuoha, has called for conscious efforts by governments across Africa to check carbon emissions.
The university teacher also described the green city’s initiatives as a safe avenue for emerging cities in Africa.
Prof Onuoha, who spoke via videophone described the project as innovative, adding that climate change is real and no longer fallacies.
According to him “it is glaringly telling on our faces and the possibility of it going away is not there”.
He said.
By: John Bibor
