…begins intensive desilting of gutters

BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka

Shop owners and residents along Zik Avenue Awka could not withhold their joy and happiness as the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) commenced massive desilting of drainages in the area to rescue them from age-long perennial flooding.

Investigations conducted during the commencement of the exercise revealed that the level of devastation caused by flooding in the area is better imagined as flood found its way into people’s homes and shops due to blockage of flood channels.

Human and vehicular movements in the area become impossible because of the level of flood between Post office, Udeke street down to Eke-Awka market area along the popular Zik Avenue road.

Mrs. Ada Nwogbo who lives along Udeke street by Zik Avenue said it was always catastrophic each time it rained because according to her, the height of the flood gets to the waist level and no one dared to come out for fear of being trapped in the menacing flood.

She however expressed joy that the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has come to rescue them from flood menace. She equally suggested that henceforth anyone caught throwing refuse into the gutters should be arrested by the police and dealt with accordingly.

A shop owner who identified himself as Gabriel Tagbo said the intensive desilting of gutters embarked upon by ACTDA was a timely intervention to their sufferings.

Tagbo who observed that the drainages on both sides of the road were too small, maintained that each time it rained, the drainages were filled up resulting in water entering people’s homes and shops.

He equally suggested that all the slabs used in covering gutters should be removed for easy evacuation of silt from water channels.

Although Mr. Tagbo recalled that flood entered his shop and destroyed his goods, he also expressed happiness that ACTDA has come to rescue them from perennial flood menace.

A native of Awka who gave his name as Aiza Nwosu, said he has overtime campaigned against throwing wastes inside the gutters whenever it rained.

Aiza Nwosu said at some point, he volunteered his personal car for waste collections; thereby going around and telling people to bring their wastes for him to use his private car to evacuate them all in a bid to control flood in the area.

Also Pharm. Obiefuna Patrick Eze, who owns a pharmaceutical store at Amaenyi along Zik Avenue Awka, shared his ordeal with our correspondent.

He said he has been suffering from flood menace for the past 4 years but heaved a sigh of relief that the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has intervened with clearing the gutters to ensure free flow of water through the gutters whenever there was a downpour.

He equally suggested that the citizens should assist government by voluntarily desilting drainages within their surroundings as government can not be everywhere at the same time.

Meanwhile Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) Hon. Ossy Onuko, said the exercise was in continuation of Operation Clean and Green Campaign.

Onuko said the agency is launching a weeklong intensive desilting of drainages along Zik Avenue Awka which is about 7.5 kilometers, stressing that the agency will ensure that debris no longer blocked flood channels.

Onuko said that the agency has gotten complaints that Zik Avenue is covered with flood whenever it rained. He said citizens have imbibed a very negative culture of dumping refuse into the drainages once it rained. That the resultant effect is that plastic wastes which do not decompose fill up the drainages and block flood channels, leaving the roads at the mercy of the flood.

The ACTDA MD noted that when they came on board there were no receptacles along Zik Avenue. But according to him, they have provided receptacles within walking distance where people can dispose their wastes, adding that there was no reason whatsoever people should dump waste inside the gutters only to cause environmental hazards.

According to Onuko, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has strengthened the Ocha-Brigade to take up the task of ensuring that those found throwing wastes inside the gutters are effectively punished in accordance with the law.

African Voices Changemakers, the Globacom-sponsored interview show on the Cable News Network (CNN) will this week showcase the amazing talents of Nigerian songster, songwriter and actress, Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, popularly known by her stage name, Simi.

Born on April 19, 1988, in Lagos, Simi launched her career as a gospel singer, releasing her debut studio album entitled Ogaju in 2008. She signed a record deal with X3M Music in 2014 and there, she released an album entitled “Tiff,” which was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies in 2015. In 2022, she was one of the top judges in Season 7 of the Nigerian idol TV show.

She released her second studio album, Simisola, in 2017. Another entitled Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 coincided with her 31st birthday on April 19, 2019. She is the Chief Executive Officer of her own record label named Studio Brat which came into operation in June 2019.

The graduate of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State who tied the nuptial knot with her equally successful singer husband, Adekunle Gold, in 2019 is mother to Dejare. Her other albums include chart-busters including Joromi, Know You, Jericho and Duduke.

The 30-minute magazine programme will be aired on Saturday at 8.30 a.m. Repeats will be broadcast on Saturday at noon; Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. On Monday next week, another repeat will be shown at 4.00 a.m., Saturday at 8.30 a.m. and 12 noon and Sunday at 7.00 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.

Fidelity Bank Plc has commended Air Peace’s performance on the commencement of the Lagos-London route.

The Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe gave the commendation over the weekend in Lagos during a special event organised for the airline by the bank to celebrate Air Peace for the milestone of commencement of direct flights from Lagos to London.

According to Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, who doubled as the host at the event, the airline has upheld the principles of financial discipline and good corporate governance since inception, while it has also been very loyal to the bank.

She expressed delight that the bank had the airline as one of its major clients since inception, stressing that the Bank was celebrating the airline’s milestone of launching direct flight service to London and other developments it would attain in the future.

The event, which held at the Civic Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, had in attendance several bank Managing Directors, stakeholders in the aviation sector, media personalities and well-wishers of both brands.

Speaking at the event, an elated Chairman, Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema observed that it was not rosy for the airline to attain its status and expressed gratitude to the flying public, the various aviation stakeholders, the media and the government for the continued support since it launched in 2014.

He specifically acknowledged the pivotal role played by the former Acting Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Engr. Ben Adeyileka in helping the airline secure its Airline Operator Certificate (AOC).

He further commended Fidelity Bank for the consistent support and stressed that the bank had contributed to the success story of the airline.

“I call it our journey with Fidelity Bank. I did not envisage this day would come when an indigenous institution would be celebrating another indigenous institution. Fidelity supports real business. They keep removing people from the streets of poverty. Let other banks emulate Fidelity,” he said.

He reiterated that Air Peace was set up primarily to create employment, not for profit making, stressing that the motivation behind the business was to empower Nigerians economically.

“Air Peace was not borne out of the intent to profiteer, but to create jobs. Air Peace was not established because I wanted more money but because of the conviction that running an airline would create massive job opportunities. That was why we went into aviation,” he remarked.

He restated the airline’s belief in the Nigerian project, maintaining that supporting the airline meant supporting the growth of the Nigerian economy.

Onyema further craved for the support of all Nigerians on the Lagos-London route, which it opened on March 30, 2024.

He explained that the airline needed to sustain the route, stressing that this could only be done through support from Nigerians.

He said, “For every penny you pay to Air Peace, you pay to sustain the jobs of thousands of Nigerians and support economic growth.

“Air Peace flies you from any of our domestic routes to London. So, you can fly from Yola to London via Lagos. From the local airport, you are taken to the international airport free of charge with a seamless luggage transfer.”

He pledged that the airline would continue to fully adhere to the standard of safety and lauded the management and staff of Air Peace for their efforts in realising the London dream.