Isoko Rainstorm Tragedy, Ex-Commissioner to the Rescue

By Omon-Julius Onabu

Former Housing Commissioner in Delta State, Mr Joseph Ogeh, has brought some succour to residents of Iyede in Isoko North Local Government Area of the state following a rainstorm which devasted the community at the weekend, leaving a teenager dead and hundreds of houses destroyed.

He has offered to replace the roofs of the Iyede Community Town Hall, which was among the buildings destroyed by the storm as some high-tension electric poles collapsed on the building and fence.

Moreover, Ogeh has commissioned and mobilised officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to replace the damaged electricity poles and restore power to the affected communities.

Contractors working on the repairs of the town hall meeting have also mobilised to site, Hon. Nelson Egware, media aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, confided to THISDAY in Asaba yesterday.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, Ogeh who is an architect said, “This intervention, which involves changing 30 electric poles, 20 high-tension and 10 low-tension as well as repairs of part of the roof and changing of PVCs ceiling of the Town Hall at Oghara-Iyede, will cost millions of naira.

“I took the decision to intervene because the community can’t afford to be in darkness when they have sons like me. So, in thehe next couple of days we will restore electricity to the affected communities and am glad to inform you that the people are quite pleased with our swift response as BEDEC has already commenced work on the project.”

It was tears of agony when rainstorm, wreaked havoc on some Isoko communities, leading to the death of 18-year old Ataregre Naphtal from Ekreme in Otor-lyede, who was outside with some friends lightening thundered and struck, according to the father of the deceased, Mr Ataregre Peter.

The rainstorm also left on its trail several persons injured while about 500 people have been forced to seek temporary shelter as they were rendered homeless by rainstorm.

The injured were mainly from Otor-Iyede, Ekuigbo-lyede, Ogewho and Oghara-lyede quarters, Egware said, adding that Concord International School was among the buildings destroyed or badly damaged during the rainstorm which lasted about two hours.

A community leader and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Mr. Jonathan Umukoro said, “The rainstorm was a terrible one which destroyed several buildings including the Oghara-Iyede Town Hall.

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