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Director-General, Special Duties in Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori-led Delta government Chief Frank Omare, has said that his office is putting together heavy equipment and other logistics needed to pull down structures on natural waterways across the state as a preemptive measure following the prediction of heavy flooding, particularly in some coastal states of Nigeria.
Omare, a former Commissioner for Environment in the state disclosed that no amount of intimidation and blackmail will deter him from carrying out the mandate given to him for the benefit of the generality of people who suffer from flooding occasioned by blockage of natural water channels.
He stated while reacting to a post of a young man with the Facebook account “MC Ladies and Gentlemen” which was shared on Monday, July 24, 2023, accusing him of wrongdoings when he carried similar assignment as Commissioner for Environment under the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, said nobody is above the law.
“We are going to pull down structures blocking our natural waterways. An individual comfort cannot destroy the comfort of millions of people. We won’t allow it. Our primary concern is where is this water discharging into. We want to demolish illegal structures obstructing the free flow of water to the rivers.
“We saw a social media post, a young man guy that stays in Enerhen. We know him, he is threatening the government. It is not about Frank Omare, it is not about Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, it is about the government of Delta State.
“The government will not allow one individual problem to affect thousands of people. We have reported him to the security agencies and I am sure that the security agencies are doing the needful. Times are hard, we sympathise with what is going on but you cannot because times are hard things must be wrongly done.
“I stay in Warri, when it rains for 10 minutes most areas are flooded. We must be disciplined. It is not political. I am serving this government not because of anything but let me contribute my quota.
“I see many people threatening me, blackmailing me, it is fine, but the important thing is that I will not use government office to intimidate or witchhunt anybody. I will never, never do it. But, I will ensure that things are done rightly,” Omare emphasised.
On claims by some persons that they got government approval for their buildings, Chief Omare said, “Delta State Government has directed the Ministry of Lands & Survey that all residents that built on natural water channels should go to the ministry or photocopy their approvals, not local government approvals and paste on the walls of their buildings.
“This (my) office we are working with the Ministry of Lands & Survey, so if you bring a fake approval of course with their system they will know that it is not from them. And even if it is from them and it is wrongly approved we will collect those facts and liaise with all the relevant authorities and take a decision. But, if you get fake approval, forget it. We are very serious about everything that we are doing.”
Continuing, Chief Omare said after opening up the blocked natural water channels the next phase will be for every residence or official building in Delta State to have a waste bin.
“It will be ‘Operation Show Your Waste Bin’ in Delta State. Then, the PSPs, those who come to evacuate the waste must tell us as a government where you are evacuating the waste to,” said Omare.
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