JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Angry youths in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday protested over death of an aged woman allegedly swept away by rampaging floor from the torrential rain of Wednesday.
The youths blocked a section of Abak Road forcing vehicular traffic into the narrow Ufe Street at the Federal Housing Estate.
Vehicles plying the road to Abak, Etinan and other adjoining parts of the state, had hectic time navigating through Ukana Offot, Nkemba and Clement Isong streets, to get out of the capital.
The woman, said to be a petty trader along Nkemba Street, close to the scene of the incident, according to Anietie Sam, a resident of the street, was swept away by the flood about 4:30pm on Wednesday.
Sam explained that the unnamed woman was returnig from the market where she went to buy her goods for sale, when she was swept away and eventually drowned in an open drainage.
He said;”We made efforts to rescue her when we noticed she was being swept away uncontrollably by the food water. Before we got to her, the fast-moving water had already drawn her closer to an open hole linking the underground drainage facility”.
He recalled that “officials of the state waste management and environmental protection agency, had opened the slaps to remove sewage and clear the drains, but failed to cover it back more than three years”.
Comrade Effiong Asuquo, one of the protesters, blamed the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals for what he described as “lack of sincere commitment to environmental protection”, and vowed; “we will remain here untill the state government retrieve the remains of the aged woman and adequate compensation given for proper burial”.
However, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Mr Charles Udoh, expressed sadness over the incident and appealed for calm as frantic efforts were on to retrieve the remains of the deceased for burial.
“I am on the spot of the incident right now to find the dead body. So, I have ordered for equipment to come. We need to break the slaps and the gutters so we that can pull it to find the dead body.
“After that, I will do a proposal to the governor on how to prevent future occurence”, he assured.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon, could not be reached for comment