Worried by the perennial flood ravaging Queenstown Community in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State, residents of the area have called on the Rivers State Government (RSG) to urgently intervene.
Speaking with The Tide in Queenstown recently, some residents lamented that when it rains, the community is always submerged.
According to Senibo Chris Obomanu, “we are calling on Governor Nyesom Wike as a listening father to come to the people’s aid by compelling relevant bodies to commence work on the project that was abandoned by the erstwhile Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led government some six years ago.”
Obomanu stressed that it became imperative for the governor to swing into action now that the rainy days are yet to come fully, explaining that the contract which was awarded in September, 2012 to an indigenous contracting firm, Dioceson Associates Limited, Port Harcourt at the cost of over N3 billion was abandoned.
He maintained that the state government should find lasting solution to the problem of flood which had caused untold hardship on the citizens.
Another resident, Mrs. Tina Pepple appealed to Governor Nyesom Wike to revisit the abandoned shore protection project by the former administration to enable the people of the area have a sigh of relief especially before the emergence of the rainy season.
She used the opportunity to appeal to the state Governor and other stakeholders to ensure the proetection of the shore, stressing that failure to do so will have adverse effect on the people.
Also lending credence on the matter, a teacher in the area, Mr. Thomas Fiberesima stated that the people of Queenstown Community have over the years suffered set-backs in the hands of previous governments on the neglect and therefore implored the award-winning Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to wade into the erosion-prone community describing the current situation in the area as dangerous.
Fiberesima, however, expressed sadness over several displacements and deaths recorded in the area as a result of the scourge, saying, “For a community of this nature, government need to rescue the people by finding alternative means of protecting the shore.
Another respondent and a petty trader in the community, Mr. Mfon Effion pleaded with the governor to tackle tidal scourge which may displaced more houses, and property in the community, adding that if such is done, his name will be written in gold.

Bethel Sam Toby