Some residents of the community now use canoes to access their homes following the overflow of River Orashi, Taylor and Epie creeks
Flood ravaging many states across Nigeria has taken over major parts of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s country home of Otuoke Community in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Many communities in at least eight local government areas in the state have been marked as mostly affected by the ravaging flood which has taken many lives and displaced thousands of residents of the affected communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some residents of the community now use canoes to access their homes following the overflow of River Orashi, Taylor and Epie creeks, situated in Rivers and Bayelsa States, respectively.
Recall that In 2012, floods also affected the house of the former President in the community but this year’s flood is worse compared to 2012.
One of the residents affected by the flood, Mr Azibalua Oru, called on the federal government and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State government to come to their aid, as most of them now access their homes by canoes.
Oru said that most of their properties had been damaged by the flood, adding that the flood dispatched reptiles around the communities, threatening lives.
Also speaking on the flood incident, another resident, Emmanuel Peter, said they could not leave their homes because thieves were looting their properties.
Peter also called for the intervention of the state government and security agencies to support and protect lives and property.
The Federal University Otuoke campus was affected badly by the flood.
Reacting to the incident, the youth leader of the community, Mr Godknows Frank, confirmed that this year’s flood was worse than that of 2012, and urged the federal and state governments to put modalities in place to tackle the menace.
Frank noted that if the State government had heeded the advice of NEMA, SEMA and other relevant agencies which warned them before now, the devastation would not have been as grave as this.
The youth leader therefore called on those contesting for various elective positions to assist the people as this is the time to show love to the people; saying that the community has not received any palliative yet from any donor, or the government as most of them now sleep at the only surviving road side in the community.