Flood: Community Cries For Help

Forty-two years after the first flood disaster befell the people of Agwagune community in Biase Local government area of Cross River state, the promise made by the Federal government to relocate them to a safer area had remained unfulfilled.

This was the views of the people of Agwagune community that suffered another major flood disaster on August 11, 2012 which claimed more than seven persons and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Some of the property lost include farmlands, economic trees, houses, as well as personal belongings leaving the victims at God’s mercy.

Narrating their experiences, Chief Esu Oyom, said that it is sad that uptill now there is no government aid or assistance in any form. The Federal government had promised to build houses for our relocation, but regrettably, it has not done so.

He noted that over seven persons lost their lives during the flood disaster and “wondered why both the state and federal governments have refused to complete the buildings and relocate us”.

Chief Oyom said, “we are tired of making appeals to state and federal government. All we need is to relocate us. We are ready to move. We have lost our dear ones, personal belongings, farmlands and houses.”

He stated that  only ten houses were built by the state government which is not enough for a community with over 2,000 population.

Chief Oyom commended the media for reporting their problem to the entire world and hoped that these reports would ginger the governments to come to our aids.

Also speaking, Mr. Eko Imoh, alias  with five children said, “I am helpless and displaced. I lost my brother as a result of the flood. I need help from the state and federal governments.”

Answering reporters’ questions, he burst into tears and slummed before the team of journalists on a fact-finding mission to the area.

In his contribution, the youth leader, Mr. Ukom Ogbor Onjehe, described their experiences as very sympathic and need urgent attention, adding  “This is a natural disaster which had also affected other communities in Biase”.

He said, “there is no health centre, no school, but God is on our side that is why we are still surviving till today.”

Mr. Onjehe called on the federal government to do everything possible to commence the relocation of Agwagune community.

Similarly,  Baunchor Community, in Boki local government area of the state  suffered an earth tremor on July 14, 2012, said the Secretary of the community, Mr. Abang Thomas Kito  while narrating the story, said “the incident occurred on July 14, 2012, during their cassava festival, noting that first of such incident occurred in 1970.

According to him, “it rained for three days for several hours and we heard something like dynamite scattering the entire community,” adding that over 92 houses were washed away while 15 others were flooded.”

He noted that the only Secondary School in the community with science equipment sank into the ground leaving only the roof., pointing out that the community has not received any assistance from both state and federal governments since the incident occurred.

In his reaction, Mr. Rubeen Takim, Personal Assistant to the leader of  Boki Legislature, Hon. Issac Obi Kekung, regretted that since the incident, only 400 bags of sachet water was sent to the community.