…As Residents Send ‘SOS’ To Fubara, Nwaogu, NDDC, Others
By: Bethel Toby
A massive flood has devastated the Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, displacing hundreds and destroying farmlands, houses, as well as, properties worth millions of naira after days of heavy rainfall and river overflow.
The flood, which submerged homes at Mgbu- Azuogu, Marihu- Central, Umuagbai, Okpontu, Obete, Mgboji, Obeakpu, Afam-Ukwu, Afam- Nta, Egberu, Kom-Kom, and other communities, has forced several families into churches, school buildings, health centres, farmlands, and uncompleted structures, as temporary shelters.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom on the surging tide of flooding that had created erosion in the area over decades, a resident, Comrade Bright Nelson said: “We lost everything. Our children sleep on desks in the primary school, no health facilities for health need of our people for years.
“We are very hungry, because Marihu-Ndoki youths, citizens are denied employment opportunities by the authorities of Oyigbo LGA, Rivers State, and the Nigerian government. The question that rightly comes to mind remain: “Is Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom part of Oyigbo LGA, Rivers State, and Nigeria?”
“We have suffered much marginalization, neglect, and denial of democracy dividends for many donkey years ago. Let Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Dr Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, management of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), the authorities of International Oil Companies(IOCs), among leaders, and stakeholders for the people of Marihu- Ndoki benefit from government policies and programmes.
“All our means of livelihood, including, farmlands, waterways, homes, have been submerged, erosion eating up the lands. Road to the waterfront is impassable, due to flood menace now ravaging the community.
“A devastating flood has swept through the Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom, in Oyigbo LGA of the state, submerging homes. This has led to the displacement of hundreds of residents in what many, described as”the worst environmental disaster over a decade”, Comrade Bright Nelson lamented.
Triggered by days of intense rainfall and overflow surrounding rivers, another resident and a clergy, Pastor Lucky Jite, said that flooding has crippled socio-economic activities in the agrarian community.
Jite maintained that the entire compounds in villages, such as, Azuogu, Marihu Central, Okpontu, Obete, Umuagbai, Kom-Kom, Obeakpu, Mgboji, Umuosi, Obunku, Ayama, and Okoloma-Afam respectively, now lie underwater, forcing families to flee to churches, school buildings, and makeshift shelters.
When Our Correspondent visited the area recently, children waded through knee- deep water while parents salvaged the few household items not washed away by the raging flood.
“This is a humanitarian crisis”, lamented Senibo Rowland Sam Toby, whose farmlands is being destroyed from water pressure.
“All our means of livelihoods have been washed away by the ravaging flood and erosion”.
However, community leaders, especially, those of them from Marihu-Ndoki, has further raised alarm over the non- availability of emergency relief materials, and called for the immediate presence of the Rivers State Government(RSG) under the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Dr Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, Rivers State Emergency Management Agency(RSEMA).
Also lending credence on the issue, former youth leader of Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom, Comrade Ogbonna Igonta, described the flood as a ” warning that waterborne diseases could break out if urgent steps are not taken.
“We are appealing to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Dr Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, the authorities of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), the management of International Oil Companies(IOCs) operating in the area, among other stakeholders, to come to our rescue. Our people have nowhere else to go”.
Our Correspondent further gathered that the community’s only access road, the Oyigbo- Azumini Federal Road, dilapidated primary school structure, health facility, has been severely damaged, leaving transportation of goods and services, including, medical supplies nearly impossible.
According to them, electrical installations and boreholes, have been submerged, plunging the area into darkness and cutting-off clean water supply.
An environmental expert in the area, Dr Chimaobi Nweke, said that the flooding remain a combination of blocked waterways, rising water levels, and climate- induced rainfall patterns.
Nweke warned that more intense flooding may occur heavily in the next rainy season, adding that, “if proactive measures are taken.”
Going by this development, civil society groups are urging the federal, state, and local governments, among other well-meaning people of the state, to immediately launch a comprehensive flood management plan, including, dredging rivers in Ndokiland, constructing drainage channels, and relocating high- risk households.
In her contribution on the dreaded issue, a health officer in-charge of Marihu-Ndoki Primary Health Care facility, Mrs Chinenye William, stressed that for now, people of the community currently struggle for survival.
“If help does not come soon, this community may have become entirely unhabitable”.
William said that as the flood- water continues to rise, the Marihu-Ndoki Kingdom waits, desperately for relief.
She, however, plead with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Dr Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, authorities of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), the management of International Oil Companies(IOCs) operating in the area, the Ministries of Environment, Health, and Education respectively, to swing into action, by rehabilitating dilapidated structures for greater development productivity.
She also called the engagement of qualified workforce in the health facility, with the provision of drugs, and other demanding incentives for the need of the people of the area.
Mrs Chinenye William used the opportunity to call for the immediate intervention by the state government, NDDC, IOCs operating in the LGA, emergency agencies, warning of looming hunger, disease out-breaks, and further displacement.
All efforts made by this Correspondent to reach out to the Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Dr Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, and other agencies of government, for their comments on the issue, prove abortive, as they were said not on seat, as at the time of filing this report.
