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From Isaac Job, Uyo
Flood has sent residents of Nung Obio Enang community out of their houses, as many buildings within the locality have been submerged in water. Both landlords and tenants have fled from their homes.
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The village is near Godswill Akpabio’s International Stadium, by the Julius Berger yard around Qua Ibom Church Primary School, Idoro Road, in Uyo city.
When Daily Sun visited the community, more than 32 houses were submerged and residents relocated to their friends and relatives’ houses for safety.
One of the victims, Mr. Etop Effiong, who spoke with Daily Sun’s correspondent in Uyo, said the flood has been a perennial problem that has confronted residents in the last 12 years.
According to him, residents of the area started experiencing flood after the construction of Stadium Road during the administration of Godswill Akpabio.
He said the construction firm lifted the road without drainage to channel the water away from compounds.
“During heavy rainfall and throughout the rainy season, we have to quit our houses to stay with neighbours for one or two weeks before water dries up in my house.
“This is my predicament and that of other residents of the area for many years now. This house can collapse anytime.”
The wife of the victim simply identified as Eka Esther said she has lost almost all her clothes to the flood, each time it occurs, especially in the night.
Eka Esther, who was crying, shedding tears, said the tricycle used by the husband for commercial purpose has been destroyed by the flood.
“Last night, I didn’t sleep. Look at my husband’s tricycle there, it has spoilt beyond repair. We can’t repair it anymore. It was our source of livelihood. Now no house to live in and no means of livelihood, all because of flood.
“Governor Umo should please come and rehabilitate us and others, check the flood here because we don’t have anywhere to live with my children throughout this coming rainy season.
Another resident, Edem Udotong, who lived behind the community primary school said, pupils could not walk to their school.
“This morning, I cried for one little girl who fell inside the floodwater but I rushed to rescue her. Who knows whether she would have drowned?,” he said.
Meanwhile, the youth president of the community, Mr Nsikak Eddie, has called on Governor Umo Eno to extend his heart of generosity to victims of flood in the community and embark on flood control project in the area.
“My brother, please, let Governor Umo Eno show us mercy. The people here have deserted their homes,” he said.
Afaha Oku village council, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has also appealed to Governor Eno to urgently intervene to control the fast encroaching erosion menace, which has so far submerged no fewer than 50 buildings in the area.
Flood menace in Uyo city has continued unabated despite the remedial measure to tackle it by Governor.
The latest is the devastation caused by flood along Akan Eton street and other adjourning streets in Afaha Oku village in Uyo LGA of the state
In a letter signed by Afaha Oku village head, Eteidung Emmanuel M. Eka, and secretary, Supol Cosmos A. Ebong (retd), the community leaders said the erosion has submerged buildings and threatens to collapse others
The letter dated June 6, 2024, addressed to Gov. Eno and made available to Daily Sun in Uyo, the village council informed the governor that the erosion which was earlier reported by the community in 2019 and certain remedial efforts made, has now become a very bad gully, sacking landlords and tenants.
The village council, which is the host community of University of Uyo, therefore passionately appealed to Gov. Eno to award contract to rehabilitate the affected roads for residents to return to their houses.
“We write to remind you of our earlier report to the state government on the erosion menace affecting Afaha Oku community in Uyo local government area which has submerged some buildings and many buildings badly threatened to collapse.
“The worst affected areas are Akpan Eton Street, Nabor Street and their sojourning streets. Akan Eton Street was motorable but today, it is condemned and turned into a very bad gully with some buildings submerged into it.
“Consequent upon the above, we had a survey of erosion site in Afaha Oku in 2019 and herewith attached is a copy of the documentary which was aired by Akwa Ibom Television and Radio, published by Pioneer and some local newspapers.
‘It was the documentary that caused the then state government to approve remedial measures for the site otherwise, more houses would have been submerged and erosion worsened. Now that the rains are coming, if nothing is urgently done to control the erosion more houses are likely to go in and the gully worse. Many landlords have since abandoned their houses and fled from the area.
“The village council passionately appeals to your excellency to award contract to rehabilitate the affected roads for residents to return to their houses,” the letter stated.
One of the affected landlords, Mr. Titus Jerome Udoh, a retiree, who had vacated his home, said his house, located at No. 8, Akpan Eton Street, off Ekpene Ntan Street, became threatened by erosion when a construction company diverted flood water from Urua Ekpa and its environs into Akpan Eton.
He said: “I was forced out of my house as a result of approaching threat of erosion, which has turned Akpan Eton Street into a ravine and the entrance of my house was badly affected. Hence, I relocated and stayed with my dependent family members in a rented apartment.
“You can imagine what life has become for me and my dependent relatives in a rented apartment for almost five years now. So, please I am appealing to Gov. Umo Eno to please, do anything within his power to restore us to our homes.”
Another landlord, Francis Valentine Akpan, of Obong Efak, Nabor Street, said the people were entirely cut off and the situation had to be remedied by members of the community, but last weekend’s rain had further advanced the gully to buildings, leading to terrible threats as some of the buildings are caving in.
“We planted bamboo trees as part of our remedial approaches but now the bamboos are attracting snakes and other dangerous animals into our homes. We wake up to see dangerous snakes inside our homes, we need help to survive this rainy season,” he said.
Mr Andrew Udoukpo, an affected landlord in Atiamkpat Street said the gully erosion along Akpan Eton has continued to pose serious threat to buildings in Atiamkpat as the volume of water emptied into the street does not permit even pedestrians to use the road during rainy season.
The affected families therefore appealed to Gov. Eno to assist the people return to their homes.
