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By Young Erhiurhoro, Warri
Residents of Ohoror community in Uwheru kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State are crying for help from individuals, corporate organizations and the the state government as the entire community has been overtaken by the ravaging flood. Speaking to our correspondent during a recent visit to the community, the Odion of Ohoror community, His Highness, Edigwe Usoko, said, “We experience this flooding every year in this community. There is no year that flood won’t send our people packing from their houses and also destroy crops, poultry and fish ponds. Every year, our people are thrown into huge debts as a result of this perennial flooding in the community. At least, you can see for yourself what we are passing through here.
“Look at people rescuing some of their properties with canoes. Yet, many properties are already lost. What about our health? There are different health issues we are confronting at the moment, outside the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic. The same way, many of our farmers lost their cassava and sweet potatoes farms, fish ponds, poultries and other agricultural produce. It’s a very devastating situation.”
The traditional head of the community further said, “As a community, we have written several letters to the Delta State government to find lasting solution to this problem of flooding before this year’s flooding, yet nothing has happened ever since. However, we are again calling on NEMA and the Delta State government to come our aid by creating an IDP camp for us to save our people especially little children from drowning. And also too, the government should support us with food and drugs. These are our primary needs for now.”
Also speaking during our visit was the chairman of the community, Mr. Omovigho Ukanesuayire, who called on the state government and NEMA to come to their aid immediately as the situation in the community was already getting out of hands.
“The community at present is in a very critical condition as the flood victims have no place to rest their heads. The few available houses that are yet to be affected by the flood are already occupied by these flood victims. The few houses are not enough again. Just look at my house, I have to use canoe from the express road to my house. In fact, many of our people have lost properties worth millions of naira. What about farm produce in the bush? It’s a very pathetic situation with us here. We are therefore calling on the Delta State government to do something now that we haven’t recorded any death. They should find a way to move the people from here without delay. This place is no longer safe and conducive for us and our children. You know the usual behaviour of little children. They can play inside this dirty water. And before you know it, drowning can occur and also too, they’re being exposed to water borne diseases. Our health generally is being tempered with. Government should come to our aid now,” the community leader said.
Still speaking on the effects and damages of the ravaging flood on the community was the chairman of Ohoror Farmers Union, Mr. Josy Akoha, who said, “Almost every year, we, the farmers of this community suffer great loss in farming business. Many have lost their fish ponds, poultries and other agricultural produce as a result of this flood. In all these losses, there is virtually nothing will receive from both the federal and state government as support to us. Yet, we hear of help the Federal Government through NEMA and the federal ministry of agriculture gives to farmers in other places especially in the northern part of the country. This is completely unfair treatment to us.
“In most cases, we take loans to do all these farming businesses and the flood will usually comes during the time of harvest. But once the flood has come, we can’t harvest anything again. It’s a recurring experience in this community. Therefore, we are calling on the Delta state government to put an end to this perennial flooding in our community to enable us enjoy our hard earned labour at the end of the day. Secondly, the Delta state agricultural loans should be distributed with fairness and equity. In this case, our representatives in the government at both the federal and state levels should fight for us. We can’t continue to suffer this fate every year. We have no place to pack to,” he said.
As at the time of filing in this report, almost the entire community, except for a few houses by the East-West road, are already deeply flooded. And many of the local fishermen in the community were of the view through their local forecast that the flood would still come more, even throughout this month of October.