Royal Father Cautions On 2013 Flooding

Against the backdrop of early warnings by appropriate agencies in the country of another flooding in 2013, a traditional ruler from Ikata town in the Ahoada East local government area of Rivers State, Chief Effort Aggrey has called on government at all levels to take proactive steps to mitigate the negative effects of the expected flood.

Chief Aggrey who bared his mind while speaking to our correspondent last week in Ahoada said it was heart warmings  to know that warnings on the on the 2013 expected flood has come early as compared to that of 2012.

“In 2012, the people were just in their homes when the water came and this time around, the prediction has been  from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and all other relevant ones,” he said.

He said if what the authorities were predicting was true then the agencies and government should be alive to their responsibilities.

“This is the time to build the camps, this is the time to move the people so that they can aclimatise to the areas you are taking them to,” he said.

While lamenting the effect of the 2012 flooding to his community, Chief Aggrey expressed the fear that his community would be flooded again in 2013.

“It is imminent that the flood will attack me again.

“It is obvious that Ikata Community will be affected again because I am sure that my house and community lie on the route of the flood,” he said.

Continuing, he said during last year’s flooding every agency of government visited his community and at the end nothing was done to assist the people.

He expressed the fear that the effects of the last flooding was still being felt by the people and wondered how the outcome of the expected one would be.