No fewer than six thousand residents in various riverine Communities in Delta State have been displaced by the perennial flooding.
Although, no life has been reportedly lost to the disaster, but properties worth millions of naira are said to have been destroyed especially houses including other valuables.
It was learnt that Communities such as Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, some parts of Ughelli metropolis, Ogwashi-Uku Community, Particularly Ote – Owelle, Agidiase quarters that have suffered untold history of set back following the destruction of its properties by the torrential downpour everyday.
In Asaba, and its environs, the situation is also worse hit as residents of some parts of Ibusa end, among others, suffered serious hardship whenever it rains heavily with their rooms taken in deep waters while in most times their properties are swept into river Niger including food items.
Residents of Ote- Owelle, Agidiase quarters in Ogwashi-Uku Community have continued to raise the alarm since the coming of the rains considering the dangers posed by a shallow burrow pit dug to contain rain waters within the area.
But Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr, Kingsley Emu in a swift reaction said that the only proactive measure to help the residents out of their present mess, is to relocate them elsewhere adding that the state government was considering opening more of the IDP camps to help alleviate the Sufferings of the people.
Dr Emu , however assured that the state government was committed to protecting Deltans who are currently trapped in the web of the heavy rainfall across the globe and sympathized with the affected residents of the flooding.
According to reports, shallow burrow pit was dug by a construction company ( namewitheld) that constructed the Agidiase- Agidiehe link road and some metres of the Ote -Owelle road axis in Ogwashi uku Community, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State
Speaking to Journalists on Wednesday, Mr Lawrence Okafor who is resident within the Ote -Owelle axis, said that the shallow burrow pit had created a bigger problem than the Construction firm intended to solve adding that” Whenever it rains, the borrow pit is over flooded so much that the water surges from it and overflow the whole of the area, most buildings in this area are seriously threatened by the water that overflows from the pit”
Meanwhile, the Delta State Ministry of Environment has advised Deltans on the need to imbibe the habit of keeping their Surroundings clean adding that it was the only way to ensure that the current situation of flooding did not sweep their houses into gutters especially those in the riverine Communities.
The Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Environment, Dr ( Mrs) Minnie Oseji who spoke to Journalists in Asaba has said, calling on residents to buy bags where they can be dumping their refuse rather than dumping them on the streets where rainfall will sweep them into various houses.
She said that the Ministry of Environment in Collaboration with Waste Management Board, Environmental Taskforce, Local Government Environment Department, Law enforcement agencies will embark on ” Operation Show Your Waste Disposal Receipt” in several parts of the state, warning that defaulters will be brought to serious punishments.
Also, motorists plying the Warri- Sapele road in Uvwie Local Government Council have called on the Council’s authorities to help dispose the heap of refuse dumped beside MTN office at Alaka Junction, Effurun.
Some of the motorists who spoke to Journalists, one of them, Philips Eda said that whenever it rains and they are driving pass Alaka Junction, they perceive offensive odour as a result of huge refuse dump beside the MTN office, noting that it poses as health hazards to the residents of the area.
Credit: TheNewsGuru
