Flood: Abia residents count their losses, heap blame on government

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

Residents of Abia State are currently counting their losses as a result of the devastating flood that struck several parts of the state.

Abia, South-East Nigeria, like many other states in the country, has been hit hard by the devastating flood, which has displaced millions of people and killed some.

Many traders, car owners, and property owners, among others, have lost billions of naira as a result of the devastating flood in Aba, Abia State’s commercial hub.

On September 26, 2022, a large number of Aba residents were awoken to find submerged shops, residential and corporate buildings at the famous Ariaria International Market and its environs.

According to Track News, this resulted in the complete destruction of goods worth billions of naira.

A group of traders, unable to bear the development, staged a peaceful protest, requesting intervention from the Abia State government.

In response to the traders’ protest at Ariaria International Market Aba, the State Commissioner for Trade and Investments, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, stated that “while we obviously have no way of preventing heavy rains from falling in any of our markets, the administration undertook the ongoing remodelling of the market, starting with A-line, with new drains, road and shops elevated and aligned to definitively deal with the perennial flooding challenges experienced by traders.”

“While the government does not currently have a tool to prevent torrential rains from falling in any part of the state, including the Ariaria International Market area, we have consistently taken measures to ensure that traders do not suffer unduly as a result of the forecast floods ravaging both the country and the entire world.”

“After due review of the current flooding situation across the country, affected areas in Ariaria, and the subsisting forecast by Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) advising further preparations for more floods,” Kalu continued, “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has approved the immediate relocation of traders in A-D zones of A-line to available shops in the A block zone, So-Safe zone, and Ochendo zone in Ariaria

Concerning the Aba traders’ protest over the constant flooding in Ariaria International Market, Kalu described the protesters as politically sponsored individuals masquerading as traders at Ariaria International Market, resulting in the destruction of some construction equipment deployed to ensure the proper remodelling of A-line.

On the measures and efforts taken by the Abia government to address the causes of the rampaging floodings in Aba market and its environs, the Trade and Investment Commissioner, Kalu, who frowned at the random construction of structures, reechoed the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration’s demand for strict implementation of physical planning standards.

“The lack of priority given to the implementation of physical planning standards had resulted in the arbitrary erection of structures on unapproved spaces, particularly in the Ariaria International market, where buildings were built even on drainage channels,” he said.

“Look at the flooding problems we’re having at the Ariaria market; it’s the result of haphazard construction.” As a result, floods have submerged many shops and houses.”

Similarly, residents of Umuahia, the capital city of Abia, are not exempt. Areas within the Umuahia axis, such as the first gate of Ehimiri Housing Estate, along Ikot Ekpene road, Orpet junction, Afara/Agbama/Holy Ghost Secondary School road leading to Ahiaukwu Olokoro in Umuahia south area, Apumiri Ubakala junction by the Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt Express road, and others are affected.

Irked by the ravaging flooding in Umuahia and Aba cities during the yearly rainy season, a cross section of Abia residents maintained on Friday that the Abia State Government has not taken sufficient action to mitigate the harsh effect of flood in most parts of the State.

In an interview with reporters, Mr Maurice Ndubueze, a businessman and Aba resident, expressed regret that the floods ravaging the state were caused by bad roads and drainage blockages.

“The State government should step up efforts in road construction and rehabilitation,” Nwabueze says. The link roads within and outside Ariaria market here in Aba are deplorable, resulting in devastating floods. The government must do the right thing by raising the bar for critical infrastructure.”

During an interview with our correspondent, Madam Nkechi Nwankwo, a female trader who sells tomatoes at the popular Orie Ugba Market in Umuahia township, expressed regret over the market’s worsening flood disasters.

She also bemoaned the poor condition of link roads within and outside the markets, which she described as one of the major causes of flood disasters in Umuahia.

Nwankwo, on the other hand, urged developers to plan ahead of time before erecting commercial and residential structures.