Gov. Okowa must hear this: Flood takes over Ewulu community, residents appeal for intervention

By SUNDAY ODIBASHI

Residents of Ewulu Community in Aniocha South Local Government, Delta State, have cried out to the Governor of the State, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, for urgent interventions as flood takes over low lands in the community, causing huge damages to the community and the inhabitants. The flood has caused serious threats and damages to the ecology and property of the people.

National Daily inquiry revealed that the major road leading to Ewulu from Ogwashi-Uku, driving off the Warri Expressway has been cut off by flood, making vehicular movement in and out the community impossible. Reports indicated that vehicles no longer move into the community while commuters have to, first, cross the water in canoes, to move out of the community before having access to vehicles that would convey them to their intended destinations. On return, they also stop on the same spot and, again, use canoes to complete their journey into the community. There are indications that life has returned to the savage age in the community in this 21^st century.

The secondary school in the community, Ewulu (Mixed) Grammar, has been cut off from the community, forcing students to be stranded in their daily school attendance. The students have to use canoes to ferry across the water before attending school daily, and do same on return after school hours.

Beside the above, the community also suffers huge economic and property losses. Farmlands are being washed away while houses are also being brought down by the flood.  The flood also overflows fishing ponds in the community, destroying the locals investments in fish farming.

Ewulu community is at high risk of being washed away in the long run by the flood and the land space taken over by waters. Beyond the flood cutting off the road leading to Ogwashi-Uku, the other lower parts of the community where there are streams linking the major river in the community, River Umomi, also encounter same flood tragedy. In that axis, farmlands and fish ponds are also being flooded and produce destroyed.

Apparently, the risk gets higher as the flood consistently flows some metres beyond the spots of the previous years’ occurrence. The waters are gradually taking over more land space of the people, with threats of ecological hazards and possible displacement of the entire community in years to come.

The indigenes have, therefore, cried out to Governor Okowa for urgent palliative interventions, in the interim, while they anticipate that the state government considers long term intervention to control the perennial overflow of the River Umomi harbours.

Various state governments have been taking precautionary measures protect their citizens and minimize damages from the perennial flood in Nigeria which has become annual occurrence.

The federal government also issues red alerts to state governments whenever the requisite agency observes rise in the volume of water in the River Niger and River Benue, urging governors to take actions that would prevent loss of lives and property.

Meanwhile, residents of Ewulu community are still anticipating the intervention of Governor Okowa to save the people and community from irredeemable destruction.