Floods: Nasarawa govt. warns against epidemic

The Nasarawa State Government has warned residents that indiscriminate dumping of refuse and building of illegal structures along water ways could cause flooding and epidemic.
The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdulhamid Kwara, gave the warning on Thursday during a sensitisation campaign on the effects of flooding organised by the ministry for residents of Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Kwara said that flood has several health implications on human lives and the environment and the best remedy is prevention.
He said that the campaign was to educate and enlighten residents on the dangers of flooding as well as to advise them to avoid dumping of refuse along water ways.
The commissioner called for change of attitude among the people involved in indiscriminate dumping of refuse to avoid flooding.
“The Nasarawa State Government under Gov. Tanko Al-Makura’s administration is doing its best in keeping the environment clean, hence the need for the sensitisation campaign so as to educate the people on the dangers of flooding to the society.
“It is also the responsibility of everybody to complement government efforts by keeping his or her environment clean because it is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.
“It is on this note that the government and stakeholders are always advising the people on the need to maintain personal and environmental hygiene in the interest of their lives and for the overall development of the society.
“I want to use this medium to appeal to the people of the state in general to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse on drainages, building of structures along water ways considering its health implication on human lives and to avoid flooding,” he said.
According to him, dumping of refuse in gutters, markets and other public places indiscriminately could also lead to the spread of communicable disease and be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Kwara also urged the residents to keep their dustbins tightly and to cover it at all times as debris from uncovered dustbins goes straight into gutters.
The commissioner restated the commitment of the ministry to continue to initiate good policies and programmes that have direct impact on the lives of the people.
The Esu Karu, Mr Luka Baba, promised to mobilise other traditional rulers in his domain to ensure the success of the exercise.
The first class traditional ruler commended the state government for adopting the measures to sensitise residents on the effects of flooding and called for its sustenance. (NAN)