Bayelsa Intensifies Flood Control Ahead of Heavy Rains
Bayelsa is intensifying flood control efforts by clearing waterways and preparing communities ahead of expected seasonal flooding.
The Bayelsa State Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control has stepped up flood control efforts by clearing blocked waterways in Yenagoa to reduce the impact of the expected rainy season. The exercise follows a Federal Government flood warning urging states to prepare for possible flooding.
Heavy machinery is removing silt and waste from major drainage channels across the state capital, with residents of flood-prone communities welcoming the intervention. Many still remember the devastating 2022 floods, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed property worth billions of naira. Christie Bibowei, a 67-year-old resident, said the clearing work has given families renewed hope after years of worrying during heavy rainfall.
In Kpansia, Godknows, who lost his provision store during the 2022 disaster, expressed cautious optimism as he watched workers clear the channel linking Kpansia Market Road to the Mike Okpokpor Channel. “I want to believe it will be different this time. The government is trying. They are clearing the canals, and we can see the water flowing. For the first time in years, we can finally sleep at least a little,” he said.
The flood control operation has also attracted residents to the work sites. In Azikoro, where a swamp buggy is clearing the channel between Cemetery Culvert and the CBN Channels, 14-year-old Imomotimi said he hopes the effort will allow children to return to playing football on fields that have remained underwater during previous rainy seasons.
Director-General Chief Omuso Wilson Omuso said the government is working to ensure floodwaters flow freely into the sea instead of remaining in residential areas. The directorate has also identified 54 natural waterways in Yenagoa using geospatial technology and is developing higher-ground shelters in communities including Biseni and Ekeremor.
Environmental group ECARD has urged the government to strengthen the agency through legislation and give it greater authority to remove illegal structures blocking waterways. The organisation believes stronger legal backing will help sustain long-term flood control efforts and better protect communities from future disasters.
Do you think stronger environmental laws would make flood control efforts more effective in Bayelsa State?
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