GOVT ON SAFETY AND PRO-ACTIVE MEASURES AGAINST RAINY SEASON MISHAP

The State Government is taking pro-active and safety measures towards protecting lives and property from the challenges and mishaps associated with the rainy season.

To this end, the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources is set to commence intervention measures to forestall drowning of persons in gutters or slip into large volumes of flowing water in drains by moving vehicles during heavy rain down pour in the state capital and its environs.

This was contained in a Press release issued by the State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh and made available to media outfits in the State.

According to the release, in a swift response towards stemming the tide of rainy reason mishap in Uyo, the state capital, the Commissioners of Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh and that of Environment and Mineral Resources, Dr. Iniobong Essien, undertook a joint on-the-spot assessment of drainages in Uyo, to fashion out safety measures for pedestrians and vehicular movement around gutters and drainages during heavy rain fall.

The release said, with a stop-over at two-lanes by Akwa Efak Street, Uyo, the Commissioners inspected the large gutter by the road and expressed the readiness by government to put in place bars to forestall easy flow and passage through the drains by heavy weight and large trunk of objects such as tree trunk, human body or other larger objects of economic benefit to the people.

Inspecting the site, the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Charles Udoh had said, while Government is committed to taking pro-active measures towards providing safety measures for lives and property during this rainy season, it is also expedient for members of the public and transporters to be careful as they walk or drive through the streets during heavy down pour especially near big drains and gutters to avoid slips into the gutters and other mishaps including dead by drowning.

On his part, the Environment and Mineral Resources Commissioner, Dr. Iniobong Essien had said immediate intervention is to commence at the Akwa Efak Street by two-lanes gutter with the erection of kerb around the gutters to forestall mishap by pedestrians and vehicular movements by notifying them of road boundaries.

The release also expressed the deep condolences of government to the bereaved family that lost a child through drowning in the gutter at Akwa Efak by two-lanes yesterday during the heavy rain down pour and prayed the good Lord to grant the family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

Accompanying the Commissioners on the inspection tour of the sites were the acting Director of Strategy, Mrs. Grace Akpan and the Special Assistant to the Information Commissioner on Media, Mr. Godwin Ibok.