200,000 Displaced As Floods Hit Rivers …Obuah Raises Fresh Alarm

Security agents parading crew men of five vessels loaded with 108,000 litres of illegally refined automated gas oil in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Over 200,000 residents of Akinima town, headquarters of Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, have been rendered homeless following the flood caused by the overflowing of the Orashi River a few days ago.
Some of the flood victims complained that they are now taking refuge in other communities.
The flood victims said their farmlands have been taken over by the flood.
The Community Development Committee Chairman of Akinima Town, Amachree Onisojikume Jonathan, said failure of the Federal Government to complete the shore protection project started after the 2012 flood disaster is responsible for the flooding.
He said no serious measure was taken by government to prevent flood in the area despite warnings.
In October 2012, over 200,000 residents of Omoku in Ogba /Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, fled their homes due to the flood that submerged the streets and communities in the area.
Some of the residents, who are now living in fear, said the rising tide and the overflow of the banks of the Orashi River may sweep into Omoku town, recalling that flood covered Commissioner Road, Akorita, Obohia, and Dan streets, among others, during 2012 flooding.
The residents, who are terrified after the impact of the 2012 experience, recalled that the ravaging flood destroyed their properties, houses and farmlands.
They are calling on all tiers of government to assist in providing food and temporary shelter before they are displaced.
Also, flood victims are gripped with fear of snake bites and other dangerous reptiles sacked by the flood.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had earlier predicted that four local governments in Rivers State could experience flooding this year.
The four local governments are Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual, and Ahoada East.
The Zonal Coordinator, South South of NEMA, Benjamin Oghene, said the flooding might occur as a result of expected heavy rainfall.
He called on authorities in the affected local governments to take proactive measures to reduce the effect of the expected flooding.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Felix Obuah, has again, urged Rivers residents and those doing business in the state to adequately remove and dispose of their wastes at only government approved receptacles and stop discharging refuse into creeks, canals and other waterways in the state, to allow for free flow of water and avoid flooding.
Obuah gave the warning while reacting to reports of fresh cases of flooding in some parts of Port Harcourt and other local government areas of the state.
He also observed with dismay, the building of houses and fenced walls on waterways, warning that such buildings and fenced walls would be demolished to give way for free flow of water on streets and roads.
He said that the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had directed de-silting of canals following heavy rainfall and floods this year and ensure that the predicted floods in some parts of the country including Rivers by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), is adequately tackled.
According to Obuah, rainfall alone does not necessarily cause floods rather human factor like dumping of refuse in creeks and canals, thereby blocking waterways and resulting in flooding as witnessed in some parts of the state.
The RIWAMA sole administrator said the on-going de-silting of major creeks and canals in Port Harcourt, the state capital and its environs, was a deliberate effort of Governor Nyesom Wike to tackle issues associated with heavy rainfall and floods this year, and ensured that the predicted floods in some parts of the country including Rivers by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET), would be  adequately tackled.
According to him,  rainfall alone does not necessarily cause floods, rather human factor like dumping of refuse in creeks and canals, lead to  blocking  of waterways, and result to flooding as witnessed in some parts of the state.
He assured that government would henceforth implement the relevant laws against indiscriminate and illegal dumping of wastes at unapproved places as well as bring down buildings, fenced walls and other structures on waterways, to pave way for free flow of water.