The Bayelsa State Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control has intensified efforts to reduce flooding in Yenagoa, with heavy equipment deployed to clear silt, debris and waste from major drainage channels across the state capital.
The intervention follows a recent Federal Government flood alert urging states to strengthen preparations for possible flooding during the peak rainy season.
The exercise also comes nearly four years after the devastating 2022 floods, which displaced hundreds of thousands of residents and destroyed property worth billions of naira across Bayelsa State.
Residents in flood-prone communities have welcomed the ongoing desilting campaign, expressing hope that it will lessen the impact of this year’s rains.
Residents Hope for Better Outcome
Among those encouraged by the exercise is 67-year-old Christie Bibowei, a mother of five, who said the drainage clearance has given her hope after years of anxiety whenever heavy rainfall begins.
In the Kpansia area, Godknows, a father of three, recalled losing his provision store during the 2022 floods, forcing his family to take refuge in a church for two weeks.
Watching heavy machinery clear the Kpansia Market Road Channel and connect it to the Mike Okpokpor Channel, he expressed cautious optimism.
According to him, the visible improvement in water flow has given residents renewed confidence that flooding may not be as severe this year.
The desilting exercise, which began on Saturday, June 13, has drawn crowds of residents, including children, who gather daily to watch the machines clear blocked waterways.
In the Azikoro area, where a swamp buggy is clearing the channel linking the Cemetery Culvert and the CBN Channels, 14-year-old Imomotimi said he hopes the work will prevent playgrounds from remaining submerged for months as they were last year.
Another resident, Flora Green, blamed indiscriminate waste disposal for blocking the waterways, noting that plastics, bottles and other refuse have severely restricted the free flow of water.
Government Warns Against Dumping Waste
The Directorate identified several priority locations, including the St. Peter’s Canal, Obele Canal, Goodnews Canal in Azikoro Town and the Akenpai Canal, warning that anyone caught dumping refuse into waterways will face sanctions under existing environmental laws.
Director-General of the Directorate, Chief Omuso Wilson Omuso, has been visiting the project sites to reassure residents that government remains committed to reducing flood risks.
He said the objective is to ensure that floodwaters flow freely into the sea rather than accumulating in residential areas.
Technology Identifies More Water Channels
Residents have also praised the agency for adopting new technology to improve flood management.
According to findings, the Directorate used geospatial technology to identify 54 natural water channels within the Yenagoa area, significantly higher than the nine channels previously documented.
Some residents described the initiative as one of the most comprehensive flood control efforts undertaken in the state.
Higher Ground Shelters Prepared
Beyond Yenagoa, the Directorate has begun preparing higher-ground shelters in other parts of Bayelsa.
Pilot projects have already been completed in Yenagoa and Ekeremor Local Government Areas, while higher-ground shelters have been established in Biseni and three other communities.
Pastor John, a resident of Biseni, recalled how residents were forced to relocate to a bridge and other safer locations during the 2022 floods after losing valuable belongings.
He said the newly prepared shelters provide reassurance that vulnerable residents will have safer places to stay if flooding occurs again.
Calls for Legal Backing
Environmental advocacy group Environmental Conservation, Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) has urged the Bayelsa State Government to provide legal backing for the Directorate to ensure its continuity beyond the current administration.
The group warned that without legislation establishing the agency, future governments could dissolve it, potentially reversing the gains already made.
ECARD also called for the Directorate to be granted the authority to demolish illegal structures obstructing natural waterways, a responsibility currently handled by the state capital city planning authority.
Its Chief Operating Officer, Alagoa Morris, said stronger legal powers would enable the agency to remove buildings constructed on natural water channels and improve long-term flood management across the state.
