Nigerian travellers stranded as flood severs vital road

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Flood has taken over Nigeria’s vital East West Road at Umeh junction, making the road no longer passable for vehicles. Many passengers and truckers are now stranded at each end of the severed road, at the junction near Patani that defines the border between oil rich Delta and Bayelsa states.

The east-West road links all the South South states in Nigeria.

Raymous Guana, a former Chairman of Patani local Government and former Commissioner in Delta told P.M.NEWS in a telephone interview that “Patani is completely submerged. I packed out of my house in the town yesterday and also helped to set up some camps for victims.

He said that when he passed Umeh junction yesterday, the water level was about a foot, but toward this afternoon, the flood completely took over the road.

It was not clear where the water came from as River Ramos is said to be seven kilometers away.

Guana expressed fear that “If the people of Abari,the neighbouring village of Patani are not evacuated immediately, then by tomorrow they may only be evacuated by helicopter”.

Several Nigerian highways have been affected by flood, increasing the agony of travellers. The most critical has been the Abuja-Lokoja highway, that was rendered impassable for several days, with government having to build an emergency bye-pass to enable motorists pass through.

In a related development, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has inaugurated the State Emergency Response Flood Management Committee for the immediate evacuation of flood victims and provision of relief materials to all the Local Government Areas.

Governor Dickson, who inaugurated the committee in Government House Yenagoa, made the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd) as Chairman while Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmund Allison Oguru will serve as Secretary of the committee.

Membership of the Committee comprising more than 20 government officials has Commissioners, Special Advisers, all Government Special Representatives of Local Government Areas as well as a representative of the State Commissioner of Police, Special Adviser on Security, House Committee Chairman on Environment in the State Assembly as well as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff Government House.

In addition to the Emergency Response Flood Management Committee, Local Government Chairmen are expected to serve as Chairmen of their respective Local Flood Relief Sub-Committees as well as Commandants of their various camps.
Governor Dickson, who listed 5 point terms of reference for the committee, said it should establish Emergency Relief Camps in strategic high land locations in every Local Government Area of the state.

The Committee is also saddled with the responsibility of evacuating victims of all the flood ravaged communities to the relief camps.

Governor Dickson charged the Committee to interface with all relevant agencies of government and other international relief agencies to provide succor for all victims in the camps and work out a post-flood relief and possible mitigation measures to forestall adverse effects on the state’s economy.
The Emergency Response Management Committee is also mandated to undertake any other function in the course of its assignment which may become necessary considering the peculiar nature of the flood.

Dickson said Government has designated the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa as camp for people displaced by the flood and also urged the Committee to identify high grounds in the Local Government Areas and set up camps.