Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Hundreds of residents in Aradhe community, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State have been rendered homeless as a result of the unrelenting flood that also wreaked havoc on farmlands and other properties worth millions of naira.
Locals attributed the flooding to ceaseless torrential rains in the past few days in the community.
Some of the residents whose houses were submerged by flood said the situation was exacerbated by the lack of drainage and water channels in the town.
“There is no way in the whole community for the water to flow down to the stream. We have lost so many of our goods to this flood. Mygarri and other foods are wet. My children and I could not sleep all throughout the last night due to the flood,” a resident, Rachael Ikelegbe lamented.
Another resident whose identity could not be ascertained appealed to “the Federal, state and local government authorities to come to our aid by constructing drains and water channels across the various streets in the community.
“You can see that from the beginning of the community down to the end, there are no drainage system or water channels. So how can the water flow? If we have drains and water channels in our streets and along our roads, we can always clear it, in order to avert the flood.”
President of the Isoko National Youth Assembly (INYA), Ovie Umuakpo, an indigene of the town concurred with the views expressed by most residents affected by the flood.
“The community desperately needs a drainage system to forestall future occurrence. I hereby call on the senator representing Delta South senatorial district, James Manager, the member representing Isoko Federal constituency, Leo Ogor and the member representing Isoko North constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly, Tim Owhefere to insert Aradhe drainage system into the national and state budgets to help our people,” Umuakpor implored.