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One of the stormwater project sites in Asaba.

The current flood problems created by the heavy rainfall in Asaba may be over in the next 10 days all things being equal, according to officials of SETRACO, the construction company handling the storm water drainage project in the Delta state capital.
The Project manager, Engr. Joseph told banneronlinenews.com in an exclusive interview this afternoon that his company was not happy that there is a delay in delivering the project on schedule, but that they have to contend with the challenge of managing the problem created by the buildings that were erected on the stormwater passageway that is directed opposite the Government House gate.
Joseph said that that very place is the point to link the drainage line from the Government House and connect across the road to the last point that will carry the water through to the River Niger.
He said the major constraint for the company is the lack of space to work. And this is because of the two buildings on the opposite sides that were erected on the water channel. And because there is no space, it has become difficult to dig through, and this has continuously created problems of the earth falling and covering up the already dug places.
He explained that normally, they required a large space to enable them to dig through and scoop out and so that they can properly lay the water channel but that the narrowness of the available space has made it very difficult, adding that those houses ought not to be there in the first place.
According to him, the two storey buildings on both sides of the waterway ought to have been demolished but the State Government seems not willing to do that because of the compensation implications.
He said in answer to a question: “We are not happy that there is a delay. The problem is that there is no space to work with. Space is too narrow. We cannot expand beyond the available space so that we don’t destroy people’s buildings that are erected on the waterways.
“We used to take it 25 metres, but now we are forced to take it at five metres. And if there are no natural calamities like the earth collapse, no heavy rainfall, because when there is rain our vehicles and other heavy earth moving equipment cannot work, in there is no rainfall in 10 days time we will connect and that will be the end to flooding in Asaba,” the project manager said.