Flood alert: Gov Eno urges participation in monthly sanitation exercise

GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has Advised the citizens and residents to always participate actively in the monthly state-wide environmental sanitation exercise in order to avert the 2023 flooding predicted by Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMeT.

Eno spoke on Saturday while fielding questions from newsmen during the August Environmental sanitation exercise at Park road by Urua Nka in Eket Local Government Area, where he participated in clearing the gutters.

He stressed that everyone has the responsibility to keep Akwa Ibom clean to save the state from the NiMeT prediction of flood threat this year.

He commended residents of Eket Local Government area and the AkwaI Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, (AKSEPWMA) for joining hands together to carry out a successful sanitation exercise.

He noted that the state government through its relevant agencies would evoke existing laws against defaulters of the monthly exercise and institute new regulations where necessary.

His words: “The message now is that we all must learn to keep our environment clean. I have asked the Honourable Commissioner for Water and Sanitation and the Chairman of Waste Management Board, Prince Ikim about we should do to activate the laws.

“Secondly, the NiMeT report we have for Akwa Ibom is not looking too good. While I believe in prayers, we must also work because faith without works s dead. The truth is that we must desilt all these gutters so that when it rains, it can flow.

“Akwa Ibom person is an honest person. Secondly, Akwa Ibom person is a very clean person. So as a people we must continue with that trajectory to ensure that at least our immediate environment is kept clean”.

Also speaking, the AKSEPWMA Chairman, Prince Akpan Ikim, commended the Governor Eno for leading by example, and assured his agency’s readiness to enforce the governor’s order to the latter.

He announced that the agency was set to mobilize it’s enforcement officers to inspect and serve notices to defaulting residents, adding that defaulters would be made to face the full weight of the Law which includes payment of fines.

On his part, Chairman of Eket LGA, Mr. Akaninyene Tommey, on behalf of his people lauded Governor Umo Eno for flaggging-off special environmental sanitation campaign drive in Eket and for his active participation in the exercise.