Obagi Community Raises Alarm Over Flooding …Accuses Total, Agip

The people of Obagi in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised an alarm over a flooding situation ravaging their homes and farmlands.
The paramount ruler of Obagi Community, Eze Abella Benson, in an interview with The Tide alleged that the flood containing oil was due to the operations of Total ExP Nigeria Limited and Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the area.
According to the traditional ruler, “their operations have caused serious blockage such that the natural water channels have all been blocked due to the construction of access roads by the firms.
“The access roads do not have comprehensive drainage system and the flooding has affected agricultural activities as crops have been submerged while acquatic lives have been destroyed”.
Benson stated that the flood water which contains oil affected such areas as igburu Swamp in Ukehin, Akamukwu, Eweri, Agbominiokan, Igburutazi, Agbulor, Uwon, Ohia orji-Igburu-Ntite covered by Total operations.
Other areas also affected were Agbor-Ubrun, Agbor-Usoma, Utu-Ije-Ebor, Egbo, Edimomia and surrounding communities.
He said, “our cassava farms, plantain plantations, Economic cash, crops, fishing rights and sources of drinking water have been polluted by the flood.
The traditional ruler who regretted that efforts to get the attention of the oil firms to intervene have not yielded any useful result stressed the urgent need for Total and NAOC to visit the impacted areas as to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the flood incident, which according to him has been on for weeks.
The Community equally appealed to the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, as well as NOSDRA to come to the rescue of the people.
Benson, the Eze Nkweke, Ochi Oha 1 of Obagi Community, threatened that the two firms should pay necessary compensation to the people as a result of the damage done to the peoples’ source of livelihood, stressed the need for the firm to visit the community with relief materials.
Noting that the communities had done their best to maintain cordial relationship with the two firms said, if the firms remain insensitive to the people’s plight, they would take legal actions.

Chris Oluoh