Delta State Government has ordered the immediate demolition of buildings standing on waterways all over the State as part of measures to avert a repeat of the flood menace experienced in the State.
The State Director General on Special Duties, Chief Frank Omare, announced this on Saturday during an inspection tour of major drainages that have been blocked with buildings and illegal structures in the twin metropolis of Warri and Uvwie and environments.
Omare, whose appointment was announced recently by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, warned property developers across Delta State to desist from building on natural waterways declaring that “houses on waterways and right-of-ways will be demolished by Government”.
While insisting that the State Government desires to see an immediate end to flooding in all major cities in the State, the Director General noted with concern that “the recent flooding was caused by major obstruction on the waterways, especially with buildings”.
He declared, “Government is constructing drainages and those drainages have been blocked. A lot of buildings are standing on the waterways. Some of them were illegally approved and some of them do not have approval at all.
“My office has been directed to pull down structures blocking the waterways. The demolition will not be selective. No one should do any irresponsible thing against the environment”.
Omare, a former Commissioner for Environment in Delta State disclosed that the inspection visit was aimed at sensitizing residents of the State that the Government is working tirelessly to ensure a better environment for the people adding that the plan to clear up the drainages is part of the response to recent flooding that wreaked havoc in Warri and other cities in the State.
“The Government of Delta State has taken swift action to investigate the causes behind the increased incidence of flooding within the cities”, he said.
It will be recalled that Governor Oborowori, shortly after his inauguration embarked on a working visit of the Phases One and Two of the ongoing Warri-Effurun Storm Water Control Projects in Warri South Local Government Area and Uvwie LGA respectively, during which he directed the demolition of all structures erected on waterways across the State.
Omare’s inspection tour on Saturday started from Ugboroke in Warri South LGA where he observed a building that was marked for demolition just as a resident in the area, Miracle Ogbe of Church Lane, lamented that the entire place is usually flooded whenever it rains.
Also, Afoke Eminokanju, a trader in Auntie Rose Road, Ugboroke commended the State Government’s move to address the issue of flooding in the State.