By victor madumere /okey alozie
Economic activities suffered a great set back in Owerri Imo State yesterday, owing to the resultant effect of a heavy down pour that submerged residents and shops in Amakohia community of Owerri North.
The rain resulted to a heavy flood that over took major roads and streets in Owerri metropolis causing uncontrollable traffic jam during the evening rush hours of Wednesday.
However, in Amakohia, Uratta, of Owerri North, residents stayed awake all through the night as the entire environs, was totally submerged . Angered by to the development, residents came out en masses to block the ever busy Orlu road in order to draw the attention of the state government to the plight.
According to a community leader Hon Jude Ewurum, who spoke to our reporter, the monetary value of household properties and fence destroyed by the flood has not been ascertained as at press time but averred that most of the affected families lost between five hundred thousand naira to seven hundred thousand naira worth of properties to the flood.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Hon Ewurum blamed their misfortune on the state government of Gov-Rochas Okorocha for destroying the drainage that the community has been managing all these years without any feasible and practical effort to re-build them.
Some of them queried why the government should play politics with the life of the people that voted it into power, by destroy the existing drainage at this time of the year in a flood prone area like Amakohia Udochukwu Ewurum, a youth leader told our reporter that the residents have resolved to block the road until the governor of the state comes to address them on the rebuilding of the damaged drainage.
Awoman who prefer anonymity submitted that she do not believe that Amakohia people are part of the governor’s my people, my people. She further disclosed that, the people have not experienced the kind of flood they a seeing since the rescue mission of Okorocha opened too many roads without constructing them to completion.
Consequently, the protester accused Okorocha of insensitivity to the peoples plight for allowing the blockage of the economic Orlu road to last up to five (5) hours as at when Trumpeta visited the scene. In a related development at World Bank Estate, vehicles and residents living in the area were equally trapped by flood. The market for now is no go area as people have resolved to stay in their homes until the heavy flood dries off.
Other areas where the flood wrecked havoc is Umuguma in Owerri West and its environs as the road leading to the local government headquarters have been covered with flood. Some building according to our reporter were pulled down by the flood.
the traditional ruler of the community HRH Eze George Ugorji who raised alarm over the incident told our reporter that erosion have been ravaging his community for a long time now. He therefore called on Imo Government to come to the aid of the people of Umuguma who he said have contributed a lot towards the development of Imo state. “Our social and economic activities have been paralyzed”. The monarch said.
