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Over three hundred buildings, including churches, schools and health facilities have been submerged by flood in Ogwu-Ikpele, Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State.
Ogwu-Ikpele, one of the oil-producing communities in Anambra State, shares boundaries with Rivers and the Imo States and the only means of transportation to the oil-producing community is a speed boat.
The situation has also forced farmers in the area to harvest their crops prematurely.
Despite the directive by the Nations Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), that state governors of communities along the banks of rivers Niger and Benue should start relocating residents to higher grounds, the people remained in their homes until the flood caught them unawares.
When Radio Nigeria alighted the speed boat that took about forty minutes from the point of take-off at Osamalla loading terminal, the people of Ogwu-Ikpele were seen in their different homes paddling canoes to move around the communities.
Children were also seen swimming in the flood waters as seven-year-old Chiamaka Udemba confirmed that their school premises had been covered by the raging flood.
Ms Ogechukwu Adizue, who managed to swim through the flood to speak with the media, said apart from the property being destroyed, the incident also trapped her aged mother in their family house.
The President General of Ogwu-Ikpele, Chief Sunday Mmadupu, said the flood forced farmers to harvest their crops prematurely, while worship centres, health facilities and buildings have all been flooded.
Chief Mmadupu appealed to the Federal and Anambra State Governments to urgently come to their rescue as the eight villages in the community had been badly affected.
A resident, Chief Akakadinam Anagbaoso, expressed regret that the people had been so marginalized, noting that politicians had failed to fulfil many promises they made to upgrade infrastructure in the area.
Chief Jonathan Eziemuonwu said the situation in Ogwu Ikpele Community and many other communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area no doubt would be managed in subsequent years should government build concrete walls along the river lines in the area.
Another resident, Mrs Ndali Ijeoma, lamented that apart from harvesting their crops prematurely, there was also no means of evacuating the farm produce to other places where they were needed.
The People of Ogwu- Ikpele Community are therefore hopeful that their cries will get urgent government attention to avoid loss of lives due to the flood menace. (FRCN)
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