Victims of Aba flooding call for assistance

August 2, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

Residents of Onyembi, Amucha, Emole, Udoka and Ihuoma streets along Ohanku road in Aba have called on the Abia state government to rescue them from flooding which threatens their existence in the area.

The residents made the call when the Aba South LGA Chairman, Mr Emma Emeruwa visited them to see the recent level of damage done by floods in the area on Tuesday

They also asked for the help of donor agencies, philanthropists and other organizations to enable them live normal lives again after floods last week rendered many of them homeless and destroyed the properties of others.

During the visit, landlords, zonal leaders and some victims of the flood, represented by Chief Sunny Onyembi, Chief Samuel Uka, Onwuka Chukwuemeka and Chief Uche Dimgba respectively spoke.

They said that the perennial flooding of the area was caused by lack of water channels and the failed and impassable state of Ohanku road.

They further noted that the overwhelming floods had damaged their properties and buildings and caused them losses to the tune of over N 800 million.

They said that the only solution to the problem was to reconstruct Ohanku road with standard drainage systems to ensure run-off water from houses has a path to enter Aba River easily.

The traditional ruler of Ohazu Ancient Kingdom in Aba South LGA, Eze Sunday Emejiaka consoled the victims on their losses.

Emejiaka said that the state had in the past awarded a contract to a company to build a drainage system to link Ohanku road and other streets through Akoli road to Aba River.

He however regretted that contractor abandoned the project without doing anything in the area and urged the state government to act quickly to save the residents from flood induced hardship.

Responding the Aba South Council Boss, Mr Emma Emeruwa said that the State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was running a people-oriented administration committed to improving the lives of the citizens.

He assured the residents that their plights would be relayed to the appropriate quarters while the council will ensure that palliative measures were put in place to check the floods.

Meanwhile, government sources say Abia state has about 45 active flood-prone sites threatening the lives and properties of residents of the state with Aba South LGA being the worse hit.

According to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in 2012 about 363 persons died in floods and 2.1 million persons displaced with material losses put at N2.5 trillion across 32 affected states of the nation.