Rivers Youth Protest Over Flood Disaster

Orashi Youth Movement,
a socio-political orgnisation in the Orashi region of Rivers State has put the death toll in the current flooding ravaging the region to nine.
Although this could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
The president of the association, Mr Chiowkwa Nweze said that half of the region is being submerged by flood.
Mr Nweze who disclosed this in Ubeta in Ahoada West Local Government Area at a peaceful protest said the flood has rendered thousands of people homeless, while farming and fishing which are the main occupations of the people have been adversely affected.
According to him, the urgent intervention of the authorities will save the people from further problem stressing that the protests of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and other companies operating in the area to assist the flood victims.
The youth president used the occasion to thank the chairman of the four local government councils in the Orashi region for their support to those displaced by the incident.
He particularly thanked the Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Hon. Hope Ikiriko for taking proactive steps to help the victims through the provision of camps for the internally displaced persons from the communities.
Meanwhile, the Eze Igbu Ubie of Ubie Kingdom in Ahoada West Local Government Area, HRM Eze Augustine Okpokiri has decried the continuous silence by the Federal Government to the flood disaster in the state.
Eze Okpokiri who said this while receiving the youths at his palace at Ubeta said that it would be morally wrong for the Federal Government to play politics with the lives of the people.
“We did not choose where we live. We were born and inherited this place whether good or bad. So the lives of the people should not be politicised”.
The royal father also stressed the need for companies operating in the area to rise up to the challenge of assisting the people, stressing that having operated in the region for years, it behooves on them to come to the aid of the people in their moment of need.
Also speaking, a youth, Reuben Prince decried the destruction of properties and farmlands by the flood.
Meanwhile, some residents of Okogbe community in the Ahoada West Local Government have lamented the negative impacts of the flooding in the community.
Mrs Nkechi Oko told newsmen that she has lost her farm to the flooding.
“My crops, my house, my land have been submerged. This is not the first time this kind of flood has occurred.
“In 2012 a similar incidence occurred, and it affected all my farm produce” she said.
A fish farmer who spoke under anonymity complained that all his fishes have escaped from his pond, adding that now hunger is starring him in the face.
“We are hungry. The flood has kept us stagnant, we hardly eat, we have lost our homes, we have lost our identities, we have nowhere to run to”.
The fish farmers who is a retiree described diseases and hunger as their major challenges, stressing that they need food and clean water to survive.

John Bibor, Tamunoseipiriala Okweinkiki&Emeka Igbe