Flood: Kano govt begins demolition of illegal buildings

The Kano State Government has begun demolition of illegal buildings built in the Kwari Textile market which caused flooding in the market.

The Star had reported how flooding ravaged the market a few days ago where over 250 shops were affected and properties worth millions of naira were damaged.

The traders in the market and Kano Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had blamed the indiscriminate erection of structures on waterways as the major cause of the flood.

The Kano State Government later set up a technical committee to identify and demolish illegal structures in the market with immediate effect.

The demolition of both permanent and temporary structures built on flood plains in the market, however, commenced on Thursday afternoon.

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The chairman of the committee, who is the State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Kabiru Getso, said the demolition was in the interest of the people of the state and to check flooding.

Getso said the illegal buildings include shops, public conveniences, restaurants, a sachet water factory, and generator rooms.

“The government had conducted a physical assessment of the drainage channels at Kantin Kwari and found out that the flooding occurred as a result of indiscriminate dumping of refuse inside the drains, building structures on flood plains, the topography of the area, with the market situated in a lower area, and the issue of climate change.

“The ministry of environment will conduct a joint meeting with the traders and the leadership of their associations to sensitise them to proper waste management, the devastating effects of illegal building of structures on flood plains and indiscriminate dumping of refuse inside drainage channels and on the middle of the road,” he said.

The commissioner further appealed to the traders and the general public to join hands with the state government to safeguard the market.

The Star