By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Amidst ongoing efforts by the Akwa Ibom State Government to address the problem of flood in Uyo, the state capital, many residents are still facing the threat of flood due to torrential rainfall.
Some other affected areas where houses have been submerged by flood include, Idoro Road by Julius Berger Junction, Atiku Abubakar Way, Ikot Oku Ikono and Udo Umanah streets axis and Use Offot along Nwaniba Road.
On Use Offot community for instance, residents of buildings along Ubara Street where a storey building was submerged while occupants have abandoned the place, are facing serious threat whenever it rains.
Speaking with our Correspondent in Uyo on Monday, one of the landlords in a street closed to Julius Berger Junction along Idoro Road, identified as Mr. Udimisor that said during the heavy downpour last Saturday, his compound was submerged while all the rooms in the building were flooded.
“I live in this compound in the last five years and I have not experienced this kind of flood before. The rain started from 9 am and lasted for seven hours. The entrance to my compound turned to a river as nobody could either come in or moved out. We were trapped for hours.”
Another neighbour, Mr. Ifiok Elijah Ezekiel Udo said the same water damaged the fence of his compound and collapsed the soak away pit .
“The water came in a speed and collapsed the fence at my backyard. Now I need over N200,000 to restore the fence and fix the soak away system,” he said.
Residents of Udo Umanah and other streets within the area had similar experiences as the entrance of Summit Complex hotel and the surroundings were completely submerged .
In a telephone interview, the state Commissioners for Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Charles Udoh said Drainage controlled projects are on going in the state but the spots mentioned are not included .
“I am not informed of this axis being ravaged by flood. Once I have official report from them, government would act accordingly,” he said.
Recall that the state government in partnership with the World Bank, has committed over 12 billion Naira to construct a drainage system to carry water from IBB Avenue which for years had been a major flood area with many houses and streets have been cut off.
The drainage system which traverses through 17 villages of Uyo, Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo/Asutan local government areas of the state, is hoped to address the problem of flood in Uyo metropolis, especially in the flood prone areas.
