Red Cross, BEACON Lead Road Walk to Curb Waste-Induced Flooding in Sabo Tasha

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

The Nigerian Red Cross Society (Chikun Division), in collaboration with the Beacon of Transformative and Inclusive Development Center (The BEACON), has taken a bold step to address the pressing issue of urban flooding and environmental degradation in Sabo Tasha and surrounding communities through a public awareness campaign and road walk held over the weekend.

The campaign, themed “Prevention is Better than Flood: Keep it Clean, Keep it Green,” aimed to educate residents on responsible waste disposal and disaster risk reduction. 

Participants, including community members, volunteers, and environmental advocates, marched through major streets carrying banners with messages such as “Don’t dump waste in drainages,” “Waterways are not dustbins,” and “Dirty gutters cause erosion and flooding.”

Speaking during the event, Shekwogaza Joseph Audu, Division Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Chikun Division, explained the essence of the campaign.

“The road walk and public enlightenment campaign is to educate our people on how to properly take care of their communities, especially concerning waste management and disaster risk reduction. 

“If you look around, particularly here in Sabo, you will notice that people dump waste indiscriminately along the main roads and in drainages. These plastic bottles, rubber, and other debris are major contributors to flooding.

“Flooding is largely a man-made disaster. We often blame the government when floods occur, but in reality, the problem starts with us. We must learn to dispose of waste responsibly, in the right places, or burn it safely when necessary. Improper waste disposal harms everyone.”

Audu further stressed that real change requires the support of religious and traditional leaders, urging them to reinforce the message in sermons, community meetings, and other gatherings.

“It is not about using force; people need to understand that they are harming themselves and their environment. We also need to promote tree planting and stop indiscriminate felling of trees for firewood. When we lose our trees, we lose our rain. 

“The rain that used to come early now delays till May or June because of these harmful practices,” he noted.

In her address, Abigail Olatunde, Executive Director of The BEACON, called on residents to take personal responsibility for environmental protection.

“The water does not flood our homes because the rain is too much; it floods because our drainages are filled with garbage. 

“When you block the gutter, you open the door to erosion; when you dump in the drainage, you invite the flood. We cannot continue to treat our waterways as dustbins and expect safety when it rains,” she emphasized.

According to her, “This campaign is about change, change that begins with each of us. Let us stop using our gutters as waste dumps. Let us clear them before the rain comes, not after the damage is done. This is about health, safety, dignity, and justice.”

She also called on schools, market associations, religious institutions, and youth groups to sustain the campaign message and embed environmental care into daily life.

The campaign ended with strong commitments from participants to keep their surroundings clean and to act as ambassadors of environmental responsibility within their communities.

“When we protect the environment, we protect ourselves,” Mrs. Olatunde added.