Tina Amanda
Some residents of Umuakwuru community in Igbo Kingdom, Etche local government area have fled their homes as flood-ravaged the community.
Speaking on the pathetic situation, Acting Paramount Ruler and the Ochimba of Umuakwuru Community, Eze Innocent Nwosu, lamented that the flood is as a result of erosion caused by abandoned drainage being constructed by a multi-national Oil Company in the area.
According to him, Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC excavated the drainage in 2005 without constructing the drainage, adding that Igbo Etche Kingdom which is an oil-producing community is greatly suffering from lack of good access roads.
Eze Nwosu also Complained that the multinational Company had abandoned some projects in the community which includes Water Scheme, Cottage Hospital, Educational projects, Scholarship and Upgrade of six Classroom block as well as Town Hall contrary to the judgement of a High Court in Port Harcourt presided by Justice E. Teetito in 2005.
He, however, appealed to the state government and relevant bodies to intervene as the people of Umuakwuru are facing a serious helpless condition.
“Flood issue is the major problem we face here in Umuakwuru. We cannot access our houses, no access to the farm roads, the stream, road that leads to the farmlands have collapsed, buildings there has fallen down, people have packed from their homes.
“This problem is caused by SPDC. Sometime in 2005, they came to do a project in Umuakwuru called IWF. They handed over the project to a Company called Contrasemes who came with their excavator, bulldozer everywhere and abandoned the project. Since then, we have not rested from flood issue.
“We have people representing these community in national Assembly and the House of Assembly yet we are suffering, we are crying every minute of the day. This is a big problem. We see SPDC collect our Oil, do all sort of things yet there is no road, no electricity, no water”
On his part, a stakeholder in the community, Augustine Nweke, said criminals have taken advantage of the poor state of roads in the community to perpetrate heinous crimes such as kidnapping and armed robbery.
“Since 2005, no vehicle has plied roads in Umuakwuru. The roads has become bushy, we pass through track roads if we want to move out of the community. Miscreants are using the opportunity to terrorize and rob residents of the area, it is also their hideout for kidnap activities”
