ABAKALIKI——The residents of Onu Ebonyi Inyimagu in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have started relocation to upland area due to fear of threatening flood on the area.
The people who lamented the bitter experience in the previous years, stressing that the area is easily submerge by the flood.
However, residents of flood prone areas wants the state government and relevant agencies to come up with active proactive intervention arrangements to deal with the consequences that may likely arise as a result of flood.
The village Head of Onu Ebonyi Inyimagu Chief Christopher Esha said the bank of Ebonyi River which is very close to the village is not helping matters due to its structure and call on Governor Francis Nwifuru to dredge the Ebonyi River bank to check the annual persistence flood devastating encounter.
A resident of the area Mr. Sunday Ofoke lamented that the dredging of Iyi Udele river bank to the Ebonyi River.by a federal agency (NEWMAP) to check the flood invasion in the area few years ago is relatively a failed efforts.
“This is because the correct natural water lane was abandoned by the contractors to short cut the distance to the Ebonyi River despite high level opposition by the residents then which they are bitterly suffering the outcome presently”
He said many people including little children had been drown by the overwhelming flood wave encroachment with many buildings kept on collapsing, property worth billions of naira belonging to the trapped people destroyed and appeal for emergency government intervention to liberate them from the sad situation.
Other residents, Mmaduabuchi Ofoke and elder Innocent Nwede of Izzi Unuphu regretted that after the construction of the canal by (NEWMAP) that is linked to Ebonyi River few years ago in the rainy season like now owners of vehicles and motorcycles do not drive it to their residential areas instead park it at anywhere outside the area irrespective of high level of insecurity.
They appeal to Governor Nwifuru to reclaim the area by dredging the bank of Ebonyi River by this administration to restore security of lives and property from this natural disaster mainly as among the villages that volunteered their lands for the capital city of the state Abakaliki.
“Many families from the area are now refugees elsewhere as an alternative to safe lives and properties because no one knows when the predicted flood will hit the area” the residents stated.
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