A’Ibom community seeks govt intervention as flood submerges homes 

No fewer than three communities have been submerged by flood in the Uyo metropolis, following incessant downpours in the state.

The affected communities include Nung Obio Enang along Stadium Road, Urua Ekpa axis and Afaha Oku villages in Uyo metropolis.

It was gathered that residents of  Nung Obio Enang, one of the affected communities which is located along Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, the state capital have fled their homes following the submergence of their houses by the flood.

Speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, one of the affected persons, Mr Etop Effiong, said more than 32 houses have been submerged while residents have relocated to other nearby houses to avoid further disaster in the state.

While noting that flooding has been a perennial problem in the community for the past 12 years, Effiong called on the state government to immediately intervene to save the community from the disaster.

“During heavy rainfall and throughout the rainy season, we have to quit our houses to stay with neighbours for one or two weeks before water dries up in my houses. This is my predicament and other residents of the area for many years now. This house can collapse anytime.”

The wife of the victim who simply identified herself as Eka Esther said she had lost almost all her clothes to the flood each time it occurred especially in the night, adding her husband’s tricycle had been destroyed by the flood.

“Last night I didn’t sleep. Look at my husband’s tricycle there, it has spoilt beyond repairs. We can’t repair it anymore. It was our source of livelihood. Now, no house to live in and no means of livelihood all because of the flood.

“Governor Umo please come and rehabilitate us and others, check the flood here because we don’t have anywhere to live with my children throughout this coming rainy season.

Another resident, Edem Udotong who lives behind the community primary school lamented that primary school pupils can not walk to their school.

“This morning, I cried for one little girl who fell into the water but I rushed to rescue her. Who knows whether she would have drowned?”

Afaha Oku village was also not spared from the disaster as more than 50 houses were washed away by the flood.

In a  ‘Save Our Soul’ letter addressed to Governor Umo Eno, and signed by the chairman village council of Afaha Oku, Eteidung Emmanuel Eka and secretary,  Cosmos Ebong obtained by our Correspondent, the village lamented that the flood is fast sliding some portions of the community.

“We write to remind you of our earlier report to the State Government on the erosion menace affecting the Afaha Oku Community in Uyo Local Government Area which has submerged some buildings and many buildings badly threatened to collapse.

“The worst affected areas are Akpan Eton Street, Nabor Street and their sojourning streets.
Akan Eton Street was motorable but today, it is condemned and turned into a very bad gully with some buildings submerged in it.

One of the affected landlords, Mr Titus Jerome Udoh, a retiree who had vacated his home said his house, located at No8 Akpan Eton Street, off Ekpene Ntan Street was threatened by erosion when a construction company diverted flood water from Urua Ekpa and its environs into Akpan Eton.

“I was forced out of my house as a result of the approaching threat of erosion, which has turned Akpan Eton Street into a ravine and the entrance of my house was badly affected. Hence, I relocated and stayed with my dependent family members in a rented apartment.

“You can imagine what life has become for me and my dependent relatives in a rented apartment for almost five years now. So please I am appealing to His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno to please, do anything within his power to restore us to our home.”

In Urua Ekpa, residents have experienced perennial floods for many years causing them to relocate to other places while their houses submerged in the flood.