DESOPADEC Flood Control Exercise Advances in Sapele, Uvwie as Swamp Buggy Clears Major Canals

The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), in collaboration with the Delta State Ministry of Environment, on Wednesday intensified its ongoing flood control intervention across Sapele and Uvwie Local Government Areas as efforts continue to reduce the impact of seasonal flooding in oil-producing communities.

In Sapele, the intervention team focused on clearing the major canal stretching from Ajumele to Ajogodo, linking the New Okpe Road to Ugheyiyi. The canal serves as one of the city’s major drainage discharge channels, conveying stormwater into the Sapele River.

Heavy-duty equipment, including a swamp buggy, was deployed to remove overgrown vegetation, accumulated waste, silt and other debris that had obstructed the free flow of water through the canal.

Residents who monitored the exercise commended DESOPADEC and the Delta State Government for the intervention, describing it as timely ahead of the peak of the rainy season. They also appealed to members of the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and waterways, warning that such practices contribute significantly to flooding and environmental pollution.

An unusual highlight of the operation occurred at the Ajogodo section of the canal, where the swamp buggy operator recovered a large wild boar while clearing the waterway.

Meanwhile, in Effurun GRA, Uvwie Local Government Area, the first phase of the flood control exercise neared completion as artisans, pay loaders and tipper trucks evacuated large volumes of sand, silt and debris from drainage channels to designated disposal sites.

The ongoing exercise is aimed at restoring the capacity of major drainage systems to effectively channel stormwater, thereby reducing the perennial flooding experienced in several communities within DESOPADEC’s mandate areas.

Residents described the intervention as a commendable initiative that would improve environmental sanitation, protect infrastructure and enhance the wellbeing of people living in flood-prone communities.

The annual flood mitigation programme forms part of DESOPADEC’s broader environmental management strategy, in line with the Delta State Government’s commitment to safeguarding lives, property and critical infrastructure through proactive flood prevention measures.