₦airaland Forum

Asaba Massive Drainage Project

The Pointer Editorial of Wednesday February 7, 2018

For decades, Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, has been plagued by flooding that poses serious threat to the social and economic life of residents. During the rainy season, in fact, when the heavy rains come, some of the major roads and streets are turned into flowing body of water, measuring between 60 and 90 centimeters or more, effectively stopping vehicular movement, destroying concrete fences, flooding residential and business premises and sending occupants to temporary “refugee” abodes.

Ordinarily, the return of the rains after a long spell of dry season should be welcomed with celebration but not for residents of some areas of the city, where the season change reawakens genuine dread of experiencing the annual flood. Government offices and access routes to them are not spared the orgy of the perennial climatic disaster. A good number of roads had been compromised by the furious floods.

The destructive phenomenon had been attributed to quite a number of variables, including but not limited to rapid urbanization, which had witnessed the construction of buildings across natural waterways thus blocking them; deliberate blockage of existing culverts and gutters with refuse, and poor attempts, previously, to contain the monstrous flooding since the emergence of the city as state capital.

A huge sense of relief came years later when the administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan embarked on an ambitious drainage scheme to empty the flood to the Niger river just lying by the capital city. But the contractors failed to deliver, rendering the huge project an exercise in futility. The efforts of the contractors, in spite of the good intention of the government, were, at best, cosmetic.

On the block since May 29, 2015, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has introduced the most strategic and pragmatic approach yet in government’s efforts to combat the flooding challenge in Asaba. This is quite evident. Just by the perimeter fence of the Federal Medical Centre(FMC),Asaba, snaking through a nearby street , channelled towards the river (Niger) lies a stretch of ongoing drainage work from which earth- moving equipment and trucks excavate laterite to widen and deepen the new drainage scheme. This is expected to connect some underground drainage culverts from the Direct Labour Agency and Jesus Saves axis of the city to rid the area of flooding.

We commend the dynamic initiative of the Okowa administration to end the crisis of flooding in the metropolis. We are hardly taken aback by the developmental stride as it conforms with the avowal of the Governor to deliver quality, functional infrastructure to the people of Delta State.
The speed and quality of work so far is impressive, and it leaves us with the impression that the end of flooding in the capital city is not far away. Besides ridding the city of flood-induced problems and frustrations, an effective drainage structure in Asaba would, in addition, quicken the pace of socio-economic development of the area and enhance its contemplated beautification.

Overall, the complete success of the citywide urban renewal venture may not be dependent on government alone. It deserves the unimpeded focus, passion and commitment of the construction firm to deliver a long lasting effective drainage system within the specified timeline for the benefit of Deltans. We also call on the corporate community to partner the government in addressing the flooding challenge in the city, using the platform of corporate social responsibility. A floodless Asaba would attract more business investments as well as provide a healthier environment to ease the process of business interactions. Governor Okowa deserves a good measure of applause for embarking on the project that had, for years, defied solution.

Good!

The citizens will end up blocking them with dirt, we don't just have failed government but failed citizenry as well.

I'll believe it when i see it completed.

Who digs up such a big hole with a metal pipe literally next to people's housing without anything created to protect them. I bet you if someone accidentally falls in there, they'll mark it off aa another accident without any possiblility of avoidance.

This country and everything that has to do with that useless waste calling itself a country is a complete shithole. God how i wish Asaba was never part of that shithole. Worse punishment and curse ever was being made a Nigerian.

Realdeals:
The citizens will end up blocking them with dirt, we don't just have failed government but failed citizenry as well.

you read my mind.

great job
let's rebuild Africa

God bless Gov Okowa