DESOPADEC Warns Against Dumping Refuse in Waterways

The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has warned residents of Isoko communities against dumping refuse into waterways, saying offenders will face stiff penalties as part of efforts to curb recurring flooding across the area.

The warning was issued by the Isoko representative on the DESOPADEC Board, Hon. Victor Egbo, during an inspection of the Commission’s annual de-silting and drainage unclogging exercise ahead of the peak of the rainy season.

Egbo said investigations revealed that indiscriminate refuse disposal remains the major cause of blocked drainage channels and persistent flooding in many communities.

“We have repeatedly appealed to residents not to dump refuse into the waterways because it obstructs the free flow of water and causes flooding. Government cannot continue to spend resources clearing drains only for them to be blocked again,” he said.

To curb the practice, he disclosed that DESOPADEC would partner with Local Government environmental task forces to enforce sanitation laws. He proposed that anyone caught dumping refuse into waterways should bear the cost of hiring a swamp buggy for a day’s clearing operation.

“Those blocking our waterways will be made to pay. If offenders are made to pay for the swamp buggy for one day, it will serve as a deterrent and others will think twice before engaging in such acts,” he stated.

Egbo noted that the Delta State Government has provided designated waste disposal sites through Private Sector Participants (PSPs), urging residents to make proper use of the facilities instead of dumping waste into drainage channels.

He also commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for prioritising flood control projects across the state’s 25 local government areas to reduce the impact of seasonal flooding.