Flooding: Group Alerts On Looming Endemic Diseases

Ogbakor Egbema Aninso, a Socio-cultural organisation of the Egbema ethnic nationality in both Rivers and Imo states, has cried out over the imminent outbreak of endemic diseases  in the Kingdom following the massive destructions being caused by flooding in the area.
President General of the organization. Mr. Ify Francis Igwebuike  who said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt said the entire Egbema kingdom is submerged by flood.
He also regretted that the people have been turned into refugees in their homes
“Egbema is almost submerged. People have moved to one part of Okwuzi.If you go to a community called Agah you will pity them, go to Mgbede is not less.
“How can Egbema people be refugees in their homes every year.
“They are in a very bad condition healthwise. d
Don’t be surprised that after this period that there will be an endemic disease in Egbema”,he said.
Ify Igwebuike also criticized the non response of the relief agencies to the plights of his people.
“So Egbema is almost submerged and has suffered loss of millions of Naira in terms of losts.
“Business closed down, all the people are ill, “he said.
Igwebuike also criticized the non response of emergency relief agency to the plight of his people, as those displaced by the incident are finding it difficult to survive.
“This displaced people by  this flooding what has been done to them, where is our emergency relief agencies, where are our philanthropist” he asked.
“There had been a lot of casualties, goods and properties worth over millions have been destroyed”.
“No economic life, the people are hungry, “he said.
He said that his people had been further subjected to object poverty by the flood inspite of the long years of suffering caused by  oil exploration and exploitation.
“Today they are in a very bad condition,” he said.
He said that the only trunk road leading to Egbema kingdom has been cut off by the surging waters, noting that people now moved round the communities with the aid of canoes.

By: John Bibor & Adigun Oreoluwa