Posted by The leading Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the Federal Government to act quickly in Abia, Imo, and Anambra states to preserve the remaining lives and property of citizens damaged by floods in two states in the country’s south.
This follows the apex Igbo body’s on-the-spot findings on the recent flood disasters in Ariaria International Market Aba, Ohaji-Egbema in Imo, and Oguta local government area in Anambra State, where floodwaters devastated assets worth billions of naira.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, made the plea in a statement issued on Saturday, lamenting the people’s suffering as a result of the heinous occurrence.
“We desire to question, does that mean that the clips coming out of the historic town of Anam Ukpo Isaa with villages like Mmiata, Iyiora, Umueze, Umuewelum, Umuobia, Umuikwu, Umudora, and Oroma-Etiti are now sitting under flood?”
Is Nigeria so broke that we can’t deploy serious boats or even airlift the trapped residents of Ogwuikpele, Akali-Ogidi, Atani, Osamala, Umu-uzu, Ogbakuba, Umunankwo, and Ogwuaniocha, all in Ogbaru Local Government Area, and deliver relief items to them? ”
Why can’t the federal and state administrations help the people of Abacheke, Ohaji-Egbema? “Can’t the government and NEMA do something about what’s going on in Oguta-Ameshi all the way down to Amaraocha?” he wondered.
“Can’t they understand that communities like Osemotto, Eziorsu, Orsuobodo, Mgbele, and their neighbors may no longer be safe and find quick solutions?” How can our government slumber while our people perish?
“What about the folks who died last week in Ogbaru while sailing to Ogbakuba when their boat capsized at the Osomals/Umunankwo bridge, and who have found their families?” “Why all the hush when there is a national disaster?” Isiguzoro wondered.
The Igbo chieftain, who described the flooding as an act of nature, asked the federal and state governments, as well as the National Emergency Management Agency, to conduct annual awareness programs aimed at educating Nigerians on flood avoidance and risks.
“They must find answers because people cannot continue to invest and lose money every three years due to flooding.” We’ve learned from several sources that what happened was caused by the release of surplus water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.”
Isiguzoro also tasked governments with finding long-term solutions to the ravaging floods affecting most of the federation in order to prevent recurrences and their destructive impact on human lives and property, as well as government-executed essential facilities.
“Every solution is required now,” he says. If it is necessary to dredge significant rivers in impacted areas such as Orashi River, Ogbuide River (Oguta Lake), Omambala (Anambra Rivers), Ezu River, Itu River, Awbana River, Njaba River, River Niger, and many more. Every time something like this happens, please do something to mitigate the impact.”