Climate crisis: Cross River launches massive drainage overhaul

The Cross River State Government has declared war on flooding, announcing a statewide expansion of major drainage channels to match the pressures of a growing city and a changing climate.

The move comes as the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) recorded immediate results after clearing and extending the critical Channel 1 drainage at Efut Efio Ene Community in Calabar — a project that has already reduced flooding in parts of the metropolis.

For years, the channel, which serves as the terminal point for major drainages in Calabar, was choked with refuse.

The blockage left Efut Efio Ene submerged and largely uninhabitable whenever it rained.

CUDA has now cleared the debris and built a new 300-metre extension that discharges water directly into the river, allowing floodwaters to flow freely for the first time in years.

During an inspection of the project, the Executive Secretary of CUDA, Chief Dr Effiong Ayi, said the intervention is in line with Governor Bassey Otu’s directive to build climate-resilient infrastructure across the capital.

“The blocked Channel 1 drainage was responsible for the high rise of flooding. The Governor directed that we extend the drainage from this village to the river, and we have opened it up,” Ayi said.

“The result is already here. In the last two days, no matter the level of rainfall, the flood in the city has reduced because water is now flowing freely.”

Ayi blamed the persistent flooding on indiscriminate waste disposal by residents but said the bigger challenge is outdated infrastructure.

“The drainages we have were built over 30 years ago. They were not designed for today’s population or for the climate realities we face now. That is why Governor Otu has directed the expansion of major channels across Calabar,” he stated.

He added that CUDA has intensified desilting across the metropolis and expressed confidence that the new works will end the era of submerged homes.

“With what we have done here, we will not experience that high level of flooding again. Flooding has been brought to its barest minimum,” he said.