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Showing posts with label River Niger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label River Niger. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Awba-Ofemili town sacked by River Niger flood

Gov. Peter Obi, please do something!
The Awba-Ofemili town in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State has been cut-off by the surge of River Niger, culminating in the loss of properties and agricultural products worth billions of Naira.

Awba-Ofemili is mainly an agrarian community located less than 25 minutes drive from the capital city of Awka, Anambra State and is reputed for massive rice production.

The Awba-Ofemili town in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State has been cut-off by the surge of River Niger, culminating in the loss of properties and agricultural products worth billions of Naira.

Confirming this, chairman, Lagos branch of Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU), Mr. Kenneth Okoye in a chat with newsmen lamented the situation, saying that Awba-Ofemili as an agrarian community known for rice production has lost a lot of economic products worth billions of Naira, including cassava, yam and plantain farms.

He described as unbelievable that the flood has continue to wax stronger in the face of seemingly nothing being done by the government, he enjoined well spirited individuals to come to the aid of the towns affected by this River Niger surge, especially Awba-Ofemili.

As at the time of filing this report, the Awba-Ofemili town has been seriously divided with this surge that farmers no longer attend to their farms, while all the eight villages that made up the town have been drastically affected.

Our reporter who visited the community and spoke to some of the indigenes discovered that one of the villages in Awba-Ofemili, Umuosite, has since last week been cut off with most residents relocating to a building along Umuosite Road for refuge, while those living along the Umuosite road have been sacked by the flood as they now use canoe to pass between Umuosite and other villages like Oyeagu and Akpana.

One of the residents and women leader in Awba-Ofemili, Madam Christiana Nweke said that the level of flood has reached a lintel of one of the storey buildings along Umuosite Road and made the road, especially leading to farm lands around that area unaccessible by the day.

She also called on the government, especially Gov. Peter Obi to quickly come to their aid, while praying that the River Niger surge subsidizes soon.

It was further gathered that the only major road leading to Awba-Ofemili, which has been begging for attention over the years, has been cut off too as indigenes trying to access Awka the capital city of Anambra State has to be ferried twice before they could even get to neighbouring towns like Ugbene, Ugbenu.

At the Agu-enu part of the town, especially behind the St. Paul’s Catholic Church, the flood has not stopped.

Hon. Mrs. Joy Enweluzor, chairperson, Awka-North, it was gathered visited the Awba-Ofemili town, Tuesday on canoe with her team of executive and promised to send food stuff and other aids to the town.

Our sources said that several letters on the flood of Awba-Ofemili and environ have been communicated to the government of Anambra State.

They called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to remember the Awba-Ofemili town in distribution of aids for the flood victims.
 

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