The Bayelsa Government says no compensation will be paid to owners of structures situated on natural drains and canals in Yenagoa, if they are demolished.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was announced in Yenagoa on Monday by members of the state Government Inter-Ministerial Committee on Flood Control.
The committee comprises the Commissioners for Environment, Dr Sylvanus Abila, Lands and Survey, Mr Furoebi Akene, Works and Infrastructures, Mr Lawrence Erudjakpo.
Others are Mr Zuwa Konugha of Capital City Development as well as Mr Felix Ebikeme of the CCDA.
The committee lamented that activities of builders had caused unnecessary flooding in the state capital.
Commenting on government’s efforts in checking flooding, Konugha said that the Capital City Development Ministry had a budget provision for a comprehensive construction of drainages in the city, adding that work would soon commence.
Also speaking, Erudjakpo said that tackling the flooding challenges would require a three phase approach, including clearing of Azikoro, Kolo and Epie creeks to open up natural water channels.
The commissioner identified the non-provision of culverts during the construction of roads and buildings on the right of natural waterways as some factors responsible for flooding in the state capital in the past.
In his own contribution, the Environment Commissioner, Dr. Sylvanus Abila said that the Ministry in partnership with the Ministries of Lands and Survey, Works and the CCDA would take interim measures to address the problem.
Responding to a question on the dilapidated nature of the abandoned Obele road, the commissioner of Works explained that engineers had been sent to ascertain the problems and promised to tackle them.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Flooding said its attention had been drawn to some roads with major flooding problems during the rains in the state capital and it was working round the clock to check the situation.
NAN recalls that Gov. Seriake Dickson inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Flooding comprising four ministries about one month ago.
The committee was saddled with the responsibility of flood control during the rains as well as to come out with a lasting solution to the perennial problem. (NAN)