Flood threatens Akwa Ibom community

Flood has been an isolated occurrence in several Nigerian communities until 2012 when it had a widespread national catastrophic impact as a result of heavy rains and the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. Since then, it has occurred from time to time with some communities mostly hit depending on their peculiarity, […]

Flood has been an isolated occurrence in several Nigerian communities until 2012 when it had a widespread national catastrophic impact as a result of heavy rains and the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. Since then, it has occurred from time to time with some communities mostly hit depending on their peculiarity, proximity to rivers and seas, and whether they are flood-prone areas. 
The perennial flooding incidents in the country have prompted individuals, groups/organizations and government agencies to put in place proactive and reactive measures to tackle the situation and bring its menace to the barest minimum.
However, for the Urua Ekpa community in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, their flood story is sad as the community has argued that it has been the worst hit in the country because theirs has lasted for over eight years with devastating impact. They said the flood has brought about serious health challenges, loss of businesses/means of livelihood, quarrelling and disunity among community members and negative impact on their social lives.
Our correspondent who visited the area gathered, and as well observed, that roads and houses have been submerged by flood, many people have been sacked from their homes, faeces often spew from peoples’ toilets into other people’s homes, while some residents empty their refuse into the water and in the process challenge anyone who objects to their action to relocate from the area.
It was also learnt that Urua Ekpa community is home to one-time military governor of old Cross River State, the late Navy Captain Edet Akpan Archibong. Residents said the only time government reacted to their plight was when the former governor died and government officials and functionaries needed to drive to the community for the burial ceremony. That was the only time, they said, their road was partially amended and afterwards abandoned.
An elderly widow, Susana Godwin Etim, who retired from the state’s Ministry of Education in 2011, said she has lost her 20-rooms building to the flood and that everyone has deserted her house. She is still staying in the flooded house since she has nowhere to go to and was yet to receive her gratuity. 
Etim, while recounting her ordeal, said she has been living in her flooded rooms like that for years and was able to construct her bed in such a way that the legs are in the water while her mattress stays above the water, and she has to climb a little ladder to get into her bed. She added also that she has been able to raise her other belongings/furnishings and kitchen utensils above water level.
“I have written several times to the state government to assist the community on this flood issue but all have proved abortive. Sometimes, some people will come from the Ministry of Works, claiming they have been assigned to do the work. They will collect money from the community and afterwards disappear. The consequence of the flood has been the health hazard. Mosquitoes and of course malaria have increased in the community, including cholera and dysentery, among other diseases. The floods have also overrun people’s toilets/soak away pits, and then emit faeces into other people’s homes. Unfortunately, people dump refuse in the water and it flows into other people’s homes. If you challenge them, they will tell you to relocate from the community if you can’t live there. I even had to buy over 60 trips of sand to buff my house against the flood, but all to no avail,” she said. 
She said the major cause of the flood was improper drainage system.
A drug store owner, Dominic Effiong, said he came to the area about 10 years ago, briefly before the flood started. And since then he had repeatedly broken and rebuilt his shop to always keep it higher than the water level, yet he has never beaten the flood as it keeps entering his shop.
Effiong said most of the people who patronize him come from other areas because a lot of residents have relocated, noting that his tenancy agreement has not expired yet, which was why he is yet to relocate his shop, but that he has relocated his wife and children to a safer area.
He added: “An estimated 1000 or more people/houses have been affected since the flood began. But we thank God that lives have not really been lost yet except about four years ago when we lost one person. We have written over a hundred letters to relevant government agencies to come to our rescue but it has not yielded any result. In the letters, names of people and houses affected in the flood so far were well covered, including the devastation, hazards and subsequent risks.
“For days now, I’ve not been able to open my shop because water has covered everywhere. I had to manoeuvre into my shop today because the water receded a little and as you can see, the water is everywhere and you too know how you came in. Even the roads are often not passable; the only time you see cars and tricycles passing is when the water reduces.”
However, a tricycle rider who spoke to our correspondent said that business is not really bad for them because they are the ones who still transport people in the flood from one place to the other. And so, people have no other commercial transport option than to patronize them.
He said they don’t exploit the people as they still charge the passengers the normal N50. The only issue sometimes, he stressed, is that when they flood level rises many of them change route because they cannot ride in the water except few experts who are not afraid of the water or their engine being affected.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Ekerete Udoh, said the government has a robust development agenda for the state and natural disasters like flood are in the plan, adding that the development plan is already being implemented in many areas of the state.