By Sam Kayode
Sketchy details have started trickling into the mills on possible reasons why Governor Babagana Zulum may have suddenly dropped his Commissioner of Environment Emat Kois and intergovernmental affairs and special duties Tukur Ibrahim from his cabinet.
Even though sketchy, environmental watchers say they are not surprised that Kois an engineer like Zulum was specifically dropped because he was not meeting up to the expectations of such a massive and important ministry that has to do with the well being of residents.
Sources close to the Government House in Maiduguri told this reporter that the Governor is obviously not happy with the state of the Maiduguri metropolis in spite of the huge amount of funds pumped into emptying the permanently blocked water ways to allow free flow of flood water whenever it rains.
Residents in the over populated suburbs of the Borno state capital are so used to blocked drainages that they virtually empty their garbage back to the channels even after they have been cleaned up by the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) the agency responsible for the monthly clearing of the drains as it has now become.
There is really a daily cleaning of some tarred roads in the town but the same does not apply to the gutters which stink badly in some areas like Bulabulin and environs.
One of our sources who wanted anonymity maintained that because the Governor himself is the executive supervisor of most of the environmental projects going on in the state, it was obvious he alone knows how murky the environment ministry may have become and wants to sanitize things.
“In-fact, only the Governor knows why he dropped them though that of the Commissioner for intergovernmental affairs might not be unconnected to low capacity and lack of adequate education, the same reason the House of Assembly initially denied him clearance for. The man is just unfit to be a Commissioner but he got there obviously by patronage of the usual party system but thank God he is out.
“Issues of flooding cannot also be overruled and perhaps his inadequate efforts at the sensitivity of tree planting and carefree attempts on climate change activities might be involved.
“Kois has two well funded parastatals under him, BOSEPA and the great green wall Agency. He also forgot he is in public office and had to right displaying the kind of ostentatious life he portrayed when the earnings of a commissioner is known in the public space” He hinted.
Our source who doesn’t want to be mentioned equally posited that with the notion flying around that there is always too much funds flying around the environment sector, clash over funding somewhere may also not be ruled out as a major catalyst for the Governor to take such a sudden decision.
Another source equally noted that a lot has been going on around that ministry but a lot of jobs that are supposed to have manifested positive results on the people are not being felt by the people two years into the second term of the Governor.
“Take it from me, the man Kois is his colleague. So he had high expectations from him as an engineer. Within two years the state capital has not improved in terms of flood especially around areas where it is caused by accumulated garbage. One wonders what is happening to the flood committee which he is supposed to ginger to bring out solutions to annual flooding in the capital.
” The fact that most of the drainage systems in the town are blocked and BOSEPA is not able to clear it is itself a challenge. We have watched the appointment of a new management in BoSEPA but in spite of this, nothing has changed in their modus operandi. People try their best to clean up their drainage systems but BOSEPA is hardly able to meet up the challenges of the various wards of the capital.
” Remember we have just come out of one massive flood in the town as a result of the collapse of the Auno dam. That incident is so painful to his excellency that he does not want to hear that floods from rain water are again threatening residents. This is a problem that should have been sorted out by the Commissioner of Environment without waiting for the Governor to tell him what to do.
” He has virtually being unable to catch up with the expected speed of the Governor as such is found wanton by those who assist the Governor to assess their performances in the management of the environment of the capital not to talk about the flood that affected Chibok Damboa and Biu council areas of the state in which some souls perished in the floods ” He maintained.
At least two people died in the recent floods in the Gumsuri and Wovi communities of Damboa council area of the state. The floods were triggered by a heavy downpour which displaced many residents and caused widespread devastation.
A recent statement from the government had said that Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, had relieved two Commissioners of their appointments to revitalize governance and enhance service delivery.
This sack was contained in a statement released by the Governor’s spokesperson, Dauda Iliya recently with the massive floods plaguing the state capital.
The officials affected are the Commissioners for Environment Emat Kois and Tukur Ibrahim Intergovernmental and Special Duties who would be replaced by
Engr. Mohammed Habib and Ibrahim Hala Hassan pending clearance by the state Assembly.
Residents want Government Intervention in Pompomari Housing Estate, Maiduguri, Due to Flooding Crisis
Meanwhile some concerned residents of Pompomari Housing Estate, in Maiduguri, have called on the managers of the Borno Geographic information Service (BOGIS) to urgently intervene in easing the blockages disturbing free flow of flood water from their environment.
They regretted that many residents in the estate have built unapproved obstructions along the routes of flood water making it à bit difficult for the water to find its way out whenever it rains.
They equally directed their distress call to the Borno State Government and relevant agencies like BOSEPA to urgently intervene in the worsening flood situation that has engulfed parts of their community making life miserable for them to exist peacefully.
This flooding, which has already started wreaking havoc at the onset of the rainy season, “is primarily caused by the negligent actions of certain self-centred individuals who have built residential and commercial structures directly on critical drainage channels and reservoirs within the estate.
“The unchecked and unauthorized construction on natural water paths and government-designated reservoir spaces has obstructed the free flow of stormwater, leading to overflow and repeated flooding. ” they noted.
“As a result of the flood, many homes, roads, and public spaces are at risk of being affected, with the situation deteriorating by the day,” said one of the residents, Mallam Usman.
The peace-loving and law-abiding residents of the estate are deeply concerned that if urgent and decisive government action is not taken, the area may face a full-blown environmental and humanitarian disaster.
The flooding threatens not only property but also the health and safety of families, children, and the elderly living in the estate.
“We are therefore appealing to BOGIS to urgently investigate and identify all illegal structures obstructing drainage channels flowing in the area.
“We call on the State Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning department to mobilize immediately to the area and begin desilting and restoration of the blocked drainages which are the foundation of these unwarranted floods..
“This is a preventable crisis that must not be ignored. The community is not asking for charity but for the enforcement of existing laws, planning regulations, and protection of public infrastructure. We believe that with swift intervention, this situation can be controlled before the rains peak and lives are endangered. ”
