Flooding: Kano govt moves to remove hundreds of illegal buildings on waterways
The Kano State Government has plans to mark houses built on waterways, right-of-ways, and under high-tension cables for immediate removal in order to save lives.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Nasiru Sule Garo, announced the initiative during a press briefing in Kano on Thursday in relation to National Environmental Sanitation Day.
He stated that a committee has been established to examine the original master plan of the state with the aim of preserving it.
Garo emphasized that many residents who have constructed buildings in these hazardous areas are unaware of the dangers involved. He assured that the state government will soon address this issue and will not allow citizens to take the law into their own hands.
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He mentioned that upon assuming office, the State Environmental Sanitation office had only two dump trucks, but efforts have been made to recover additional vehicles.
Garo explained, “When the REMASAB was handed over to Cape gate before they left, there was so much mismanagement of environment equipment. As they took over, there were only two dump trucks left behind.”
He noted that a committee was formed by the NNPP government to recover stolen items, and the process is still ongoing, with the matter also being investigated by the anti-graft commission in Kano.
The commissioner assured that the government will address the issue of buildings constructed on right-of-ways, drainages, and power transmission lines by revisiting the master plan of Kano and emphasizing environmental regulations. He also emphasized the ministry’s commitment to continuous waste evacuation in the state.
Garo further stated that with the waste management system in place, residents would find it difficult to locate refuse as many individuals in the state engage in collecting and selling waste. Therefore, refuse would become scarce in dumpsites.
