Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State government on Tuesday advised residents living on the lower plains to relocate to higher grounds to avoid being caught up in the impending flood as predicted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The government said steps were being taken to ensure that the predicted flood would not catch the state unawares.
Addressing newsmen in Asaba shortly after the State Executive Council, Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said although government would do everything possible to mitigate the flood disaster, it was advisable for those in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer places.
Aniagwu informed journalists that two drainage projects in Asaba were approved by the council, explaining that the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration was determined to properly address the issue of flooding as a result of incessant rains in the state capital.
Giving insight into the approvals, Commissioner for Works, James Augoye, said the two drainage projects cover a total of length of 3,213 meters (3.2 kilometers).
Augoye said the projects had already been awarded to competent contractors at the cost of N3.3 billion, adding that they would be completed within 12 months.
According to Augoye, one of the drainage projects would be within the Okotomi area of the capital territory, and will be channeled to the Iyi-Uku stream while the second one would be around the Specialist Hospital and would be connected into the Ralph Uwechie sewer.
He explained that from the study carried out to determine areas of intervention in Asaba, eight flood points had been highlighted.
Augoye stated that work on three of the projects earlier awarded by the immediate past dispensation was very close to completion, pointing out that with the latest two, there would be five ongoing drainage projects across the state capital.