Residents of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Atiku Abubakar Way, and the surrounding areas have urged the state government to find long-term solutions to the flood that has damaged their houses and places of business.
To help mitigate the effects of the region’s recurring flooding, they drew the governor Umo Eno’s attention to the situation.
Speaking in an interview, Mr. Ndianabasi Isong, an engineer, complained that his shop had remained shut for three days due to the damaging flood.
Isong said, “I am an automobile electrician by profession. I am one of the victims of the flood; it affected me very seriously.
“We had a relationship with the authorities of this school- Beulah Nursery/Primary School, so whenever it rains, we have to relocate customer cars and park them in front of the school. The flood has posed a lot of challenges, when it rains, it affects us financially.
“We are managing to survive; I’ve lost some customers. You can see my shop, the rain has destroyed everything, our tools that we bought from Lagos for work had been destroyed. One of my boys fell into the water and sustained injuries, he has been in the hospital.”
He added that he has been operating his business in the same area for 13 years.
“Before, it wasn’t like this. That is why I am appealing to the government and the people living around here to look for where to dispose of their waste products, and not to dump it here.
“Poor waste management is what is causing the flood because as they dump them, they block the gutters and make it difficult for water to flow freely. I appeal to Pst Umo Eno, our governor, to see what he can do to help us in this area,” he explained.
Mrs Udeme Udeme Ime, a food vendor lamented that the flood has been occurring in the vicinity before, but not as quite devastating as this.
“On my part, I find it difficult to sell my food anytime this place is flooded, anything I cook that day will be wasted,” Ime said.
The head of ICT, Beulah Nursery/Primary School, Mr. Rotimi Awobode said whenever it rained heavily, the flood would take over the school compound and enter into the classrooms.
He appealed to the state government to help come make drainage channels for the flood to pass through.