By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The commissioner for environment and mineral resources, Mr Nsikak Ekong, has commended an indigenous non governmental organization -Women United for Economic Empowerment(WUEE), for supporting Governor Umo Eno’s renewed flood-prevention strategy through its Gutter Cleaning and Malaria Prevention Project (GC-MAPP).
Ekong, made the commendation at a one-day capacity building training for volunteers and field workers on gutter removal and cleaning, themed, “Safe and Effective Drainage and Gutter Maintenance for Flood and Malaria Prevention”, organized and sponsored by WUEE, at its conference room, Nwaniba Road, Uyo, on Monday, August 24, 2026, under the project titled, “Gutter Cleaning and Malaria Prevention Project(GC-MAPP).
He identified indiscriminate disposal of waste into gutters and drainage channels as one of the major factors responsible for blocked drains, adding that when drainage channels are obstructed, rainwater cannot flow freely, thereby increasing the risk of flooding and environmental pollution.
The commissioner commended the organisation for putting together the timely and practical programme, which focuses on an issue that directly affects the health, safety and wellbeing of the people.
Ekong, who was represented by the director, pollution control and waste management in the ministry, Mrs Maria Akpan, noted that the training was directly supporting the Governor’s renewed flood-prevention strategy, especially the desilting and maintenance of drainage channels and the Clean Akwa Ibom initiative.
He encouraged the 30 volunteers and field workers to see the training as an opportunity to acquire skills that will make them work safer, more effective and more professional.
The commissioner urged them to pay close attention to the safety procedures that was demonstrated during the training and to always use the appropriate personal protective equipment, expressing confident that the knowledge acquired during the training will translate into better field practices and stronger community participation in environmental sanitation.
According to him, “let us work together to ensure that our drainage channels remain clean and functional—not only during the rainy season, but throughout the year”.
Welcoming participants to the event in her opening remarks, the president and chief executive officer of WUEE, Mrs Aniema Udofa, said the objectives of the training which targeted 30 workers engaged in the removal of gutters and drainage systems in 10 streets, was to train them to work safely and use Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) correctly; clean and maintain gutters and drains without damaging infrastructure; dispose waste properly according to Ministry guidelines and identify health risks and report hazards, while the purpose of the training was on flood prevention, job safety and dignity of work.
Represented by the grant, financial compliance officer of the organization, Mrs Emem Ekong, Udofa announced that at the end of the project, incentives will be given to the most cleanest street among the 10 targeted streets to encourage competition among other streets, while the drains worked on by volunteers would be fumigated in two phases before the organization phases out of the project to ensure mosquito larvae in the gutters and drains were completely eliminated.
She explained that if the project yields results and malaria prevalence reduces, the organization can therefore seek for partnership to enable it expand the scope of the project by accomodate more streets in the gutter cleaning process.
“This is a pilot project. We are starting with a small portion. We hope to enlarge. We hope to have international partners. We hope to partner the government to do it in Akwa Ibom State, in the Niger Delta region and the entire Nigeria if we have the funding”, she said.
Udofa, mentioned the expected results of the project to include reduction of mosquito breeding sites by at least sixty per cent in the pilot communities, and reduced malaria incidence and improved community health through environmental management of mosquito breeding sites in Akwa Ibom State and the broader South South region.
She noted that as a non governmental organization, WUEE does not implement its project in isolation but work in partnership with state and local governments, and that all its programmes and projects in the different thematic areas such as health, education , women and children’s rights, good governance, agriculture, climate change etc, are all aimed at complementing government effort in those areas since government cannot do everything alone.
The president and chief executive officer, explained that the mission of WUEE is to promote women and children’s rights; human development to the rural poor women, youths, children and other vulnerable groups through economic empowerment programme, with the vision of seeing a society without poverty or reduced poverty where women, children, youths and other vulnerable groups can exercise their rights.
According to her, the GC-MAPP is a deeper project that combines health and environment since malaria prevention begins from the environment, describing the project as a health programme that has a relationship with the environment.
She urged participants to take the training seriously to enable them discharge their duties successfulpy without any recorded casualty throughout the duration of the project.
On sustainability after WUEE exit the project, Udofa said it was the responsibility of volunteers to sustain the project even after its completion on January, 2027, through proper monitoring of their streets to ensure residents or non residents do not pour waste into their gutters and drains, and by also engaging in regular cleaning of the gutters to get rid of mosquito breeding sites, thereby reducing malaria prevalence and deaths associated with the sickness.
Presenting a paper on “Safety First”, the Head, waste management unit, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Mrs Bella Emmanson, stressed the need for the 30 volunteers to take their safety first and safety all round, as the task before them was risky and hazardous.
Emmanson listed the harzards associated with the job to include cuts, falls from ladder, snake or insert bites, toxic gas in drains, as well as water borne disease, and mentioned that the importance of wearing Personal Protective Equipment(PPE), was to prevent injuries and illness; reduce the risk of accidents; protect against infectious disease; reduce health care and compensational costs, etc.
She advised them to check that all PPE were properly fit, clean and in good condition before entering the work area and that no part of the body that requires protection were exposed.
On what to do in an emergency during the drainage and gutter removal such as a fall from the ladder, Emmanson, instructed them to protect themselves and others in such situation; stop work immediately; check the victim’s breathing; check if victim was responsive; check if there was severe bleeding and call for emergency help.
She reminded them of the need to abide by the safety rules to avoid becoming the second casualty as their safety remains paramount.
Also speaking on health education at the training, a public health and environmental officer in the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Michael Effiong, urged them to protect their health first by ensuring complete PPE were provided by those who engage them; usage of all PPE provided them; working professionally as a team; ensure all removed materials were handled responsibly to avoid health hazard and also maintain free flow of drainage.
Lectures were also given on Environmental Law by the Head of the Legal unit, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Ruth Unwana Esq; as well as on “Flood and Flood Mitigation: Akwa Ibom perspective”, presented by the Head of Department, Flood and Erosion Control, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Effiong Udo.
Highpoint of the training was the Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) wearing competition among participants.
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