Community leaders in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have praised Governor Umo Eno for his swift response to recent flooding that damaged homes, displaced residents and disrupted economic activity across the coastal council.

Speaking on behalf of the Ibeno Clan Council, Secretary Okon Udofia commended the governor for ordering an immediate assessment of affected communities and deploying agencies including the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, the state’s environmental protection agency, and state and national emergency management agencies to provide relief, describing the response as compassionate and people centered. The council also praised the Host Communities Development Trust of Seplat Energy, led by Sam Ekpenyong, for emergency flood control work in several communities that helped keep the situation manageable despite heavy rainfall.

The commendation comes as Governor Eno recently unveiled a broader flood management strategy for the state, including a new flood and drainage master plan, a dedicated environmental task force, monthly sanitation enforcement and demolition of structures blocking natural drainage. The clan council called for a dedicated flood control master plan specific to Ibeno’s needs to be integrated into the state’s wider strategy, and said Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources Nsikak Ekong had encouraged the local government to submit proposals for emergency and long term flood control projects.

Beyond rainfall related flooding, stakeholders raised concern over coastal erosion and ocean surge threatening communities including Akata, Ntafre, Itak Abasi, Okoritak, Okpo Ita and Iwuo Okpom Opolom, with the Akata community reportedly split in two and made inaccessible by advancing waters. They urged the governor to extend intervention efforts to communities facing coastal erosion to prevent further loss of land and homes.

Ibeno Local Government Chairman Glory Ekah Effiong also thanked the governor for the swift assessment and said vulnerable residents, including widows and elderly persons, were being relocated to safer locations as part of ongoing humanitarian measures. Stakeholders also thanked the state’s rapid response team, the Red Cross and community volunteers for their support during the emergency.