Rising Level Of Orashi River Worries Rivers Communities

Some communities along the Orashi River in Rivers State are now jittery following the rising level of waters in the river.
Sources in the area informed The Tide that the situation is causing sleepless nights among indigenes of the communities some of whom have started making arrangements for their relocation from the area.
The source also told The Tide that farmers in all the communities have commenced the premature harvesting of their crops, while some have started building makeshift structures in the communities.
An indigene of Join Krama, Silver Oku told The Tide via a telephone interview that there is fear among the people of Enginni Kingdom.
Oku said the wreckages of previous floodings in the area including that of last year were yet to be cleared.
According to him, the situation may lead to hunger as farmers are engaged in premature harvesting of their crops and selling them at cheaper fee.
“The flood is pushing in from the direction of Taraba State and our people are in sad mood. Famers are harvesting their cassava and potatoes prematurely. Infact, there is hunger everywhere”.
Oku said the migration of people from Enginni Kingdom is now a common phenomenon, and predicted that this year’s flooding may be worse than last year’s because of the incessant rainfalls.
“Personally, I have gone to negotiate where to stay with my family”, he said.
He regretted the lack of external support to the Kingdom last year.
Also speaking, another indigene of the area, Agamini .W. Agamini said the people are in for difficult times as economic activities have grounded to a halt.
He said children including adults are facing starvation as there are no farming activities in the area.
Agamini also said more people are suffering from Malaria parasite this time around than before while blaming the incessant flooding in the area on the shallow nature of the Orashi River and appealed to both the Rivers State Government and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to consider the dredging of the river to save the people from incessant flooding. When contacted, the South-South Zonal Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Godwin Tepikor confirmed the rising of water in the Orashi River and urged the people to relocate to higher grounds.

By: John Bibor