About 2,000 families in Anambra community has been sacked by flood
The flood, which submerged homes, worship places, schools and other public facilities, reportedly sacked over 2,000 households.The situation is believed to be worse in Ogbaru because it is a riverine area.
When the news agency of Nigeria, visited the council and areas affected by the flood, over 2,000 buildings and farmlands were taken over by the flood and the attendant erosion.
The Atani-Osomala-Okili-Ozizo-Ogwu-Ikpele federal road which leads to Rivers State was cut off by the flood.
Traders, especially women, were seen traveling to Alieze Market in Rivers State in boats and canoes.
The Traditional Ruler of Ossomala in Ogbaru Local Government Area, His Royal Highness Okakwu Victor Awogu, the Atamanya of Ossomala, told news men that it was sad that his people were hit by such a natural disaster.
He said that most of the coastal areas were being threatened by the River Niger.
“For this to be happening in Nigeria of the 21st Century and in a major food-producing community like Ogbaru, to the extent that there is no more motorable road, is a big pain, not only to Ogbaru people but also to all those making use of the road.
“We have been writing to the authorities begging that the repair of the roads should go beyond Ossomala to Ogwu-Ikpele down to Rivers State. If the road is constructed and the flood channelled to the River Niger, it will ease our pains and reduce the hours spent by travellers on the Onitsha-Owerri Road to Aba and Port Harcourt. It will also open up the economy,” he said.
The monarch said that “half of Ossomala and other parts of Ogbaru have been washed into the River Niger. As I speak, there is still a threat of the river eating up houses and farmlands.”
A clergyman from the area, Rev. Ndubisi Agazinwa of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Obeagwe, in a chat with The news Men, called on the government to urgently help the area as the natives could no longer travel on the federal road except by boats.
The Ogene of Ogwu-Ikpele in Ogbaru, Onwu Ambrose Ogene, claimed that the federal and state governments had abandoned the people, insisting that unless the government constructs the federal road and channels the flood appropriately, the entire Ogbaru could be washed away.
Another community leader and the Oduah of Obeagwe, a 98 years old John Nnabuife, told that the government’s presence was urgently needed in Ogbaru, especially in the area of road infrastructure.
It was encountered that a speedboat conveying Ogbaru women to the Alieze Market in Rivers State. One of them, who identified herself as Adaobi Udoye, said that they took the dangerous journey because there was no road that links Akili-Ogidi, Ogwu-Ikpele and other communities to Rivers State.
A youth from the area, Olisa Onwuma, from the Ogwu-Ikpele area, who conducted around the affected communities in a speedboat, said that the issue of road in Ogbaru had been over-flogged, lamenting that “after several promises and election campaigns vis-à-vis road construction, such promises were never fulfilled by the elected leaders.”
The 10 local governments prone to flooding in the state are Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Anambra East, Anambra West, Onitsha North and Onitsha South. Others are Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Idemili North, Idemili South and Awka North.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Romanus Ejikeme, said that, “the governor is very careful to ensure that what happened in 2012 does not repeat itself. He has directed that we go into partnership with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and we have done so, and the results are already manifesting.”
The SEMA Executive Secretary, Mr. Paul Odenigbo, has already visited Ogbaru.