Residents of Saketa in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi state capital, have lamented the poor state of the drainage system in their neighbourhood. The residents have cried out that instead of draining away water during heavy downpours, the drainages overflow and lead to floods putting their lives, properties and health at risk.
The community has called on the government to as a matter of urgency come to their aid.
When ASHENEWS visited the community, the Reporter saw that the drainage system was filled with solid specks of dirt and stagnant water.
Some of the residents who spoke with ASHENEWS in separate interviews expressed their pain as well as their fear of disease outbreaks such as malaria, typhoid and the overall disaster which is flooding.
A resident, Kabiru Abubakar Alkali claimed that the environment is unsuitable for human habitation, particularly during rainy seasons.
AUDIO: Residents of Saketa in Birnin Kebbi Cry Out Over Poor Drainage System
“Aliero Gutter has been our source of concern for decades because it is the channel for every river in Birnin Kebbi, and also the refuse dump in the gutter serves as a factor and source of over flooding because it closes the waterways through the gutter instead of the water to follow their way but they would divert and flood into our houses because we are living next to it.
“Also, people living at the edge of the drainage don’t know the implication of dumping refuse inside, we are calling on the government to either evacuate the refuse or to shift the gutter further from our houses”.
Saketa is not the only community that has fallen victim to the floods. Reports show that several other communities are on the verge of facing the trauma.
“I can remember somewhere around two years back, we found a corpse in the gutter which we don’t know from where it comes from. I lost three parts of my building due to flooding, and many houses were destroyed. If the dirt in the gutter is evacuated in one year, we can do almost four years without facing any threat.
“Sometimes we call some prisoners and pay them almost 20,000 to 40,000 Naira. We cook for them just for them to evacuate it for us, but unfortunately, the refuse overshadows their work. When the rain falls, the environment becomes very unbearable”, Kabiru added.
The Report shows that between 2021 and 2022, the Kebbi state government received N1.2 billion as its share of the ecological fund. This was an intervention by the Federal Government to address the diverse ecological challenges, including flooding, in various communities across the country. In January 2023, the state also received 64 million naira as its share of the ecological fund for the year.
Residents with resources are fleeing their homes due to fear of flooding within the metropolis.
Another resident, Mudassir Ibrahim, decried the issue describing it as a threat to their life.
“We are facing a great challenge and flood threat here in Saketa. There is no way we can access the road whenever it is raining. We are appealing to the government to come to our aid and construct waterways for the safety of our lives”.
A Public Affairs Analyst, Abdullahi Umar Ribah stressed on the need for the drainages to be cleared of dirt with additional waterways built. He added that the effect of flooding on the people ranges from socio-economical to financial.
“Saketa are rice farmers, and they find it difficult to take their goods out whenever it is raining. The government must do the needful in addressing the menace as the rainy season is fast approaching”.
A tour around the communities correlates with the residents’ claim. There are gutters in the area but they are left uncompleted. This development has left people living in the area without a complete gutter and at the mercy of floods.
