By Mercy Akuba
The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, has commiserated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists over the death of two of its members, Kingsley Uchegbuem of ITV and Asamosa Festus of Reliance Newspaper.
The Commissioner, alongside principal officers of the ministry and journalists who participated in the monthly press briefing on Tuesday, 18th of May, observed a one-minute silence in honour of the departed media practitioners.
Afegbua urged journalists to always make out time for routine medical check-ups before health issues escalate.
According to him, early detection and treatment of ailments help reduce the burden of expensive medical care.
He noted that journalism remains a hazardous profession and advised media practitioners to take their health seriously.
He also called on Journalists to find out time to check on their colleagues as a sign of love .
Speaking further, the Commissioner warned residents against blocking drainage channels with debris as the rainy season intensifies across the state.
He raised concerns over the impending flooding associated with the rainy season and cautioned residents to remain conscious of their environment and movements, especially during heavy rainfall.
According to him, the warning followed an alert from the Federal Government to states on the dangers posed by climate change, flooding, and erosion during the rainy season.
“These are very dangerous and endemic realities we have to contend with at every point in time, particularly when the rains are coming,” he said.
Afegbua called on Edo residents to keep drains and water channels clean by desisting from dumping refuse into them.
“To a large extent, we are calling on the Edo public to take the monthly sanitation exercise seriously and always dump waste at designated points,” he stated.
He disclosed that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is ensuring that adequate side drains accompany ongoing road construction projects across the state.
“We continue to insist that citizens must be patriotic. They must have a deliberate and conscious attitudinal reorientation to see government property as their own,” Afegbua added.
The Commissioner noted that despite the threats posed by the rains, construction work continues across project sites in the state, adding that ongoing road projects now
cover about 533 kilometres.
“We are not pretending about our interventions. We are resolute that we will break the bogey of underdevelopment in Edo State,” he said.
Reacting to the tragic incident of an 11-year-old boy reportedly swept away by floodwaters during the heavy rainfall in Benin City on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Afegbua stressed the need for residents to remain vigilant during heavy rains.
“The 11-year-old young man who was swept away by flooding on that fateful day was the reason I raised this alert that people must be conscious of their environment,” he stated.
Responding to suggestions that barriers be erected at strategic drainage points to reduce such incidents, Afegbua said government would consider installing some form of obstruction at drainage take-off points without affecting water flow.
“It is quite unfortunate this incident happened. That used to be the perennial problem around Five Junction during the administration of Adams Oshiomhole,” he recalled.