From.Osiberoha Osibe, Awka
A nongovernmental organization has lamented the submerging of 15 out of 16 communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The flooding came less than 24 hours after the Federal government through Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) predicted the submerging of the coastal communities in states of the federation.
Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to step up mobilization efforts through opening holding centres across vulnerable local government areas and urged residents of riverine communities particularly in Ogbaru, Anambra East, Anambra West, Awka North, Ekwusigo, Ihiala and Onitsha South to move to higher grounds for safety.
The flooding followed the over-flow of the River Niger bank which poured water into its tributaries, submerging farmlands, markets, schools, churches and private cum public buildings.
The only affected area is Okpoko where residents are making frantic moves to relate to safer uplands in nearby Onitsha and Obos in Onitsha South and Idemili North local government areas of the State.
When our Correspondent visited the flood affected areas, some villagers who were interviewed lamented the failure of the state government or its agency to deliver any relief materials to them.
A community leader from Ogbaru LGA, Xmai Uyanne told newsmen that, apart from jeopardizing normal daily activities, the flood has caused disastrous impact on lives and livelihoods and displaced residents of the area., with Ogbaru being the worst hit.
Uyanne contended that the reason Ogbaru remains worst hit is that it is the last coastal area in the State from where the flood across the federation enters parts of Rivers and Bayelsa, among others, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Oyanne who is a concerned flood mitigation advocacy spokesman for NGO called Barrister Chika Rita Okwuosa Foundation (BCROF) said that government’s fire-brigade approach would not solve the disaster and trauma.
Uyanne lamented the failure to put in place sustainable measures to check the menace of yearly flooding across worst-affected areas in the State, advocating for the review of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (ANSEMA) Law to provide for the recurring annual flood disaster that affects the riverine communities of Anambra State including Ogbaru LGA.
He said that the expected law should make it relevant to the present situation in order to accommodate a budget allocation to militate against flood disaster.
According to him, the new ANSEMA Law should accommodate the rehabilitation and empowerment programme for women and girls as well as other victims of all ages who are the victims of the recurring flood disaster.
The spokesman recalled that cultivated hectares of rice farm was recently destroyed by the flood and till date there was no form of assistance for the victim.
Uyanne called for inclusive arrangements in the adoption of measures to tackle flood menace, narrating how the physically-challenged persons are worst victims since they are often forgotten during emergency rescue operations, with the result that any of them suffers loss of lives and or property
He regretted that many of the aged persons die as many of them are neglected or suffer from contracted diseases during the flood crisis.
Due to these dangers, BCROF called for review of the ANSEMA Law to bring it to current reality.
Equally, he noted the need to set up campaign for start-up funds to be included in the Law and made available for victims to start with their lives again after losses that might be suffered as a result of the flood.
As a way forward, he advocated for shelter camps, more elevated holding centres, provision of relief materials and health care services, fumigation of the holding centres, empowerment of women, girls and other victims and to design a programme that will assist the victims reintegrate into society when they go back home.
Uyanne called on the stare executive to push bill to the state House of Assembly whose responsibility it is to review the Law as it concerns flood disaster management.
