The chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Council of Rivers State, Hon Udi Odum has denied allegations levelled against his administration on  mismanagement of relief materials allocated to the council soon after the floods and closing of the camps.

Chief Ogbaghama Dighobo Edum from Emilaghan Abua Central alleged that among other things that his community had so far not benefited from the relief materials after the camps were shut down.

He further alleged that the entire LGA was not aware of what was going on in the distribution  of the relief materials, claiming that apart from the chairman’s personal aides and his immediate community, nobody was benefiting from the  materials.

According to him, efforts made to reach the chairman on the issue proved abortive even as he said his correspondence to the office of the chairman has so far not been acknowledged.

Although attempts to reach the chairman was not successful, our correspondent eventually spoke with him on phone. He denied the allegation, saying it was an attempt to tarnish his image. According to Hon Odum, the only relief material he received were cassava stems which he promptly distributed.

Investigations carried out by our correspondent showed that most communities in the LGA have been given the cassava stems.

For instance, the Uwema of Emughan clan, HRH Thankyou Warigboko Obagana iv confirmed the itiems were shared among the four families which make up the Aminigboko community.

Corroborating Emughan’s  statement, chief of Atian family, Chief Mellamby Osila acknowledged that it was only cassava stems that were shared.

At Iyak in Okpeden clan, the story was the same as a renowned farmer and religious leader, Pastor Johnbull confirmed that cassava stems were brought to the community.

He said even though it was a welcome development, he had expected edibles like rice beans among food items to accompany the cassava cuttings.

Also, a cross section of the farming population which comprises mostly rural women who spoke to our correspondent said that they expected more relief materials, adding that they had decided to take their fate in their hands.

Meanwhile, victims of the recent flood disaster in parts of Ahoada East Local Government Area in Rivers State are in for a hard time following the alleged discovery of the  remains of human and dead animals in some of the communities’ wells.

The Tide learnt that dead animals were in wells in Edeoha, Ikata Ombo, Odiereke, Awunugboko and Ubarama communities while the remains of human beings who died as a result of the incident were discovered in Ubio, Owube and Ula Ikata.

The leader of an Ahoada- based non-governmental organisation, Peoples Encourages Initiative, Mr Chukwuma Abraham, who disclosed this in an interview with The Tide at the St Paul’s Primary School, one of the campus in Ahoada, said that this situation had made the affected communities to source for drinking water from neighbouring communities.

Mr Abraham said that the timely intervention of the government had become necessary to save the communities from epidemic.

While commenting on the need by government to distribute farm imputes to farmers in the area, he noted that the distribution was not enough to address the plight of the people as a number of the victims needed shelter.

John Bibor