Flood sacks traditional ruler, residents of part of Uyo

Flood has rendered at least 500 residents of Urua Ekpa, Afaha Oku and Udo Usanga streets in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, homeless.

The flood also submerged the residence and palace of the village head of the affected area, Chief Okon Mkpong.

Mkpong told newsmen that the flood sacked him from his palace and that it was beyond what the village could handle.

He said over the years, the community had written several letters to successive state governments to save it from the annual flooding to no avail.

He said: “The community has written to governments.

“Till date, nothing has happened.

“Since 1999, nothing has happened.

“If it was possible. the community would have addressed the problem.

“It is difficult for us.

“Governor Udom Emmanuel should come and help us.

“We are all members of PDP (Peoples Democratic Party.

“It is sad that even the Village Head’s residence is under water and yet they say that Akwa Ibom is beautiful.”

A trader, who simply identified herself as Mercy, expressed displeasure that the flood sacked many residents and crippled their businesses.

She said students of the University of Uyo, who were the majority of tenants, as well as those who were doing businesses in the area, already left to safe locations.

Mercy attributed the flooding in the area to the construction of new roads like Udoette, UNIUY and Itam Market areas.

A resident, Titus Sunday, said anytime it rained, his room was flooded, and he had nowhere to which to relocate.

Sunday said: “My room is flooded anytime it rains.

“When it rains like two or three hours, we relocate from our rooms.

“If you were here on Monday when it rained, you will not come up to this point.”

A property owner in the area, Ekpe Asuquo, said residents could not quantify their losses over the years of the flooding and appealed to the state government to assist.

In his reaction, Kufreabasi Edidem, member representing Itu Constituency at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, said he had brought the problem of the people to the notice of the state government for possible intervention, which was yet to come.

Edidem said officials of the National Emergency Management Agency had visited the community and distributed some relief materials to residents.

The lawmaker appealed to the people to be patient, assuring that the problem of the community would be addressed in the 2022 state’s budget.