Communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State have been severely impacted by recent flooding, which has displaced families and destroyed extensive farmlands, plunging farmers and residents into hardship. Hard-hit areas include Idu, Ogbidi, Ikwuzi, and Omoku, where crops were devastated just before harvest season, sparking concerns of potential food shortages.
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Farmers lamented the losses. One affected farmer shared, “Everything is gone. I invested all my savings into this year’s planting. Now, I don’t know how I’ll recover.” Another resident, Chinyere Amadi, who fled her submerged community in Idu Obosiukwu with her children, expressed distress over their precarious situation. “We barely escaped with our lives. The water came so fast, we couldn’t save anything. Now, I’m just worried about my children’s health,” she said, highlighting the exposure to cold and unsanitary conditions.
Paul Ogbidi, an elder from Omoku, called for urgent assistance. “I’ve lived here for over 40 years, and I’ve never seen flooding like this. It’s a tragedy. We need help, not just for now, but to prevent this from happening again,” he urged.
Responding to the crisis, Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara dispatched a Flood Prevention and Management Committee, led by Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, to assess the damage and deliver relief materials. Speaking at Egbema, Prof. Odu emphasized the need for long-term flood prevention measures, including dredging of creeks and rivers. “Doing the same thing the same way cannot give you a different result,” she noted, underscoring the need for proactive solutions to manage the water flow and protect communities.
The Chairman of ONELGA, Prince Isaac Umejuru, commended Governor Fubara’s prompt action, noting that relief materials were already reaching affected families.
