From Nwimo Chukwudike, Awka
Many business owners in Onitsha and Ogbaru local governments, Anambra State, are in distress. This is as result of flood caused by heavy rains and overflow of River Niger.
The state is currently challenged by massive flooding with no fewer than 300 communities in six local governments under water. It ast experienced a disaster of this magnitude in 2012, with loss of lives, resources and properties. 
The menace brought enormous misery and hardship on both the big earners and the poor. Some had since vacated their homes and small-scale businesses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. They now depend on relief materials from individuals, governments and organisations.
The precarious situation in the commercial city of Onitsha at the moment is evidence that the rich also cry. Big industrialists are licking their wounds following the submerging of their factories by flood.
Harbour Industrial Layout in Ogbaru-Onitsha, acclaimed as the area with the highest concentration of industries in the state, was ravaged by the flood with most of the equipment, materials and even the structures taken over by water.
Some of the affected industries included A.N. Ejeagwu and Sons, Kristoral and Company, Pokobross Group of Companies, Brollo International Profiles Resources and ANES Industries. The industrialists lamented loss of machines, raw materials and finished goods.
Badly hit is the traditional ruler of Omor in Ayamelum Local Government, Igwe Chris Chidume Oranu. He is the CEO of Krisoral Agro-Allied Company. He said: “One of my industries was completely taken over by flood. Its production chain was disrupted, thereby, affecting output and productivity.
“The sourcing of raw materials was not spared because of the destruction of farmlands. There is need to create an intervention fund to help the affected businesses. The approach to solution must be scientific so as to be sustainable.”
Managing Director of A.N. Ejeagwu and Sons, Emmanuel Ejeagwu, said the flood encroached and damaged his raw materials at the tissue and paper producing facility: “The company is our only source of livelihood. We can’t pay our salaries anymore.”
Daily Sun gathered that the disaster almost marred the birthday celebrations of Chief Paul Okonkwo, CEO, Pokobros Group, who turned 80 recently. He put the loss of his factories in Harbour Industrial Layout at over N10 billion in goods and infrastructure.
He lamented: “It is unfortunate that Nigeria is the only country in the world where factories suffer on yearly basis and deteriorate to zero level simply because they are extremely neglected to an unbearable position.
“It is appalling that the Federal Government chooses to spend N200 billion every year on relief materials for flood victims, instead of spending much less to lower casualty level like dredging River Niger, River Benue and constructing a dam at Lokoja.”
He wondered why the country has always been at the mercy of its neighbour, Cameroon: “If Cameroon can control floods and open their dam every year against us, why can’t we manage the situation by building many dams?”
Chairman of Dozzy Group, Chief Daniel Chukwudozie, told Daily Sun: “This year’s flooding happened more than it did 10 years ago.
Despite the sufferings, the Federal Government did not do anything to nip the problem in the bud.
“Last week, when we came to see our colleagues, our vehicles could not enter because of the height of the flood. Our vehicles would have been swallowed up by the flood if we had attempted to enter the premises.
“The factories here were filled up with water. Even the equipment and materials were not left out. These are situations that could lead companies to bankruptcy.” He insisted that government reactions must not be about compensation: “It should identify the root cause of the problem so that people doing businesses by the riverside can feel safe and encouraged.”
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), visited the flood site for an assessment, last week. Its president, Otunba Francis Meshioye, described the devastation as unfortunate and sympathised with the affected industrialists.
He said the body had evaluated the situation, understood the root cause and would proffer solutions to the Federal Government to address the problem permanently. He promised that the national body would do its best to ensure a smooth working environment for its members both in the state and national levels:
“Industrialists are patriots working for national economic growth and are resilient in ensuring that manufacturing continues in the face of myriad challenges. The Federal Government should look into the plight and apply medium-term and long-term measures to address flooding at the cluster permanently.
“We could not access some of the factories. The water level is so high that it has destroyed some of their machines. They have lost money they have lost time.
“Compensation is good, but preventing recurrence is the most important thing. There are options like dredging and the building of embankment to prevent overflow and construction of dams.
“If the Lagos State Government could address the problem of Bar Beach overflow, the Federal Government should be able to contain this perennial flooding at Onitsha Industrial Harbour.”
MAN chairman for Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi states branch, Mrs Ada Chukwudozie, opined: “Concerted efforts should be immediately deployed by all relevant agencies of government to ameliorate the sufferings of our members.”