Ebonyi Community Cries Out Over Flooding

Residents of Onu Ebonyi, Inyimagu Izzi Unuphu, Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi State have called on the state government and other relevant agencies to take proactive measures to avert flooding in the area as the rate of rainfall in the state continues to increase on daily basis.

The village head of the community, Chief Christopher Esha, while recounting the ugly experience of flooding in the community, said that the area is usually submerged by flood, adding that properties, household equipment and farm produce are destroyed annually.

Esha said the flooding is usually caused by the overflow of the Ebonyi River, which is very close to the village, and called on Governor Francis Nwifuru to dredge the Ebonyi River bank to check the annual persistent flood devastating the people.

Also reacting, a resident, Mr. Sunday Ofoke, expressed regret that the federal government’s dredging of Iyi Udele River Bank to Ebonyi River a few years ago to check the incessant flooding in the area did not help the situation.

Mr. Ofoke maintained that the contractors abandoned the correct natural water lane to cut short the distance to the Ebonyi River despite high-level opposition by the residents, adding that the shoddy job done by the contractors has continued to pose a threat to residents of the area.

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“We have lost lives in the devastating flooding that occurs within the area, including little children. There has been persistent building collapse and properties worth billions of naira destroyed. We are appealing for emergency government intervention to liberate the people from the sad situation.”

Mr. Maduabuchi Ofoke and Elder Innocent Nwede said that despite the construction of the canal by NEWMAP, which is meant to control flooding in the area, many residents of the area still cannot access their homes with vehicles and motorcycles as the area is still flooded during the rainy season.

“We want to appeal to the state governor to use his good office to ask the contractors to revisit the area and find a lasting solution to the flood problem of the area.

“Many residents and families are now refugees as they have relocated to other places. Those who are yet to relocate are now living in fear following the prediction of heavy flooding in some parts of the state,” they said.

It would be recalled that the federal government recently forecasted that 11 states, including Ebonyi State, are at risk of flooding, forecasting a heavy downpour in the affected areas.