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From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Many residents of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, are still counting their losses following the heavy rain that spoilt the joy of Easter for them.
The rain which fell on Holy Saturday afternoon, came with heavy flooding that wreaked havoc, destroying houses and carrying away other properties worth billions of Naira in the Port Harcourt Road axis of the town.
Witness account said the worst hit areas were buildings identified as Numbers 142,144, 146 Port Harcourt Road, all others along nearby Ubani Street, Umuoji Street, and some in Georges and other adjoining Streets off Port Harcourt Road.
Property owners and many of their sympathizers expressed sorrow that government had not been able to check the perennial flooding in the area, which according to them “was the reason the floods have taken over people’s homes.”
One of the victims, who simply gave her name as Mrs Gloria, cried openly, and called for assistance from relevant authorities as she said that she and her family, had no place to sleep or stay, then: “As you can see, we have lost everything and as it stands now, we have no place to sleep tonight.”
“So, we need urgent assistance from the authorities and well-meaning people to find where to stay at the moment.”
Another resident, Chief Godswill Ibeneme, said government had demolished structures in the area in 2016, promising to tackle the problem: “Government had told us that they received international loan to check flooding in the area and that the funds will be used to build Port Harcourt Road, Omuma Road, Ngwa Road, Obohia, Ohanku and Urrata Roads.
“The Governor, his late Environment Commissioner, Solomon Ogunji, and then Information Commissioner, John Okeiyi Kalu (now Commissioner for Trade), repeatedly visited and assured us that the projects will be completed within their tenure in office, but now, barely a month to the end of their tenure, the work is almost at very low levels, and we are seriously suffering.”
