Kuje residents urge council administration to evacuate drains, water way

Residents of Kuje Area Council, FCT, on Saturday called on the area council to evacuate drains and water way in the area to prevent flooding ahead of the coming rainy season.

Some of the residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kuje decried the current state of drains across major streets in the area.

Mr Ezekiel Salami, a resident, urged the council administration to take advantage of the dry season to evacuate the drain and water way to avoided flooding challenges faced by residents during rains.

He blamed the incessant flooding in the area on indiscriminate disposal of used polythene bags and waste and call for change of attitude on the part of residents.

“From Secretariat junction down to town hall on Kuje-Gwagwalada road are areas where we have been having major problems of flooding in Kuje.

“Human activities, particularly improper disposal of waste and the failure of the council administration to evacuate drains for several years are the causes of the flooding,” he said.

Mrs Hadiza Madaki, another resident, said the incessant flooding usually experienced in the area during rains was as a result of the council administration’s failure to live up to expectations.

She said the failure of the council to evacuate the drainage as well as its failure to enforce sanitation laws was responsible for the flooding and filthy environment.

“The Area Council must start by evacuating drainage system because it has not done that for several years and that is why we cannot go out of our houses after rains.

“The streets around the market are most affected by the flooding and so, the council must enforce sanitation laws once it has been able to clean up the area.

“My appeal is for residents to have change of attitude toward waste disposal and for government to take advantage of the dry season to evacuate the drainage now,” she said.

Mr Samuel Gombo, also a resident, expressed dismay over the attitude of Kuje Area Council administration toward issues of environmental sanitation.

He called for urgent steps toward addressing the flooding challenge facing some parts of the council in the interest of lives and property.

“Steps must be taken to stop indiscriminate disposal of refuse as well as deliberate disposal of waste in the drain during rains.

“It is disheartening to see people bringing out waste from their houses and discharging it in the drains because they feel it is already blocked.

“It is time the council wakes up from it slumber, evacuate the drains and ensure that violators of sanitation laws are punished accordingly,” he said.