Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Rumueleze community in Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has called on the federal government for an urgent intervention in what they described as life threatening flood that has driven away visitors and companies in the area.
In a peaceful protest held yesterday on the Port Harcourt – Aba road in the state, the community people lamented that they are yet to recover from the flood which occurred last year, pleading for the government intervention before the rainy season commenced fully.
The indigenes of the community during the protest claimed that the flood was orchestrated by wrong drainages allegedly constructed by a Chinese indigenous contractor, CCECC that is constructing the Port Harcourt – Aba section of the Port Harcourt – Enugu road within the community.
Some of the protesters, who spoke with THISDAY, said reason they have the consistent flood in the community is because of the shallow borrow pit dug in the area.
They claimed that when the canal is full, the flood gathered from other neighbouring communities and towns would flow back into Rumueleze community, there by killing all their crops and damaging structures erected in the area.
One of traditional leaders, Chief Morgan Amadi-Wordi, said the companies operating in the area have threatened to sack their youths if the issue of flood is not tackled.
Chief Amadi-Wordi revealed that: “Most of the companies operating in this community have been dislodged by the flood. It also affected the youths of the community based on employment. The company operating here said if the host community does not address the issue of flood, they will not engage indigenes of the community on employment.”
He explained that: “The flood is caused by the misplacement of drainages by the CCECC company constructing the Port Harcourt – Aba section of the Port Harcourt- Enugu Road road. During the laying of the drainages, the firm provided a shallow artificial canal where flood was supposed to move in the area and directly to the spot.
“But the drainage is not a normal one. So we are making an urgent call to the federal government to come and see what the company have done and provide immediate solution that will salvage this community from the effects of the flood that returns back from the canal when there is heavy downpour.”
Meanwhile, a native of the community, Oscar Jamike- Wordi, who claimed that he lost his job as a result of the effects of the flood, lamented: “I lost my job because of the flood, and everyday our youths lost their jobs because of effect of the flood. I am a father of six children, including me and my wife, we are a family of eight. Now I cannot feed my family because of the flood.”
