No fewer than 5000 persons have been displaced while churches, schools and many residential houses have been submerged by flood in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
Chairman of Ogbaru Local Area, Hon. Arinzechukwu Awaogu who disclosed this to newsmen, also revealed that over 1000 displaced people were currently being catered for at IDP camp in the council area.
He regretted that the displaced persons have shortage of food, adding that they also need matrass, pillows, mats, blankets, buckets, slippers, rain boots, while many still trapped in their communities needed evacuation.
He added that farm crops were equally destroyed, while displaced people sought refuge in Onitsha and surrounding communities.
He said, “Over 5000 families have been displaced while churches, schools and many residential houses have been submerged by flood with farm crops destroyed, while displaced people seeks refuge in Onitsha and surrounding communities.
“At the moment, we are housing over 1000 IDPs, we have over 5000 persons that have been displaced, quite a number are taking refuge either in the residence of their relatives who live up land, or those outside Ogbaru, including Onitsha.
“We need the Federal government assistance in areas of provision of food items, non food items, medicals and supplies, establishment of Sick bays and sending enough medical personnel to help in handling the situation, our fear now is the break up of epidemics.”
Meanwhile, Anglican Bishop of Ogbaru Diocese in Anambra state, Rt. Rev. Prosper Amah has called on the Federal Government to commence the dredging of River Niger, to save lives of people of Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state
He said the dredging of the river would not only save over 400,000 residents of Area, but the entire Anambra North senatorial zone being displaced by flood that has overflown the river bank.
He call according to Bishop Amah, has become imperative following the ravaging flood that has displaced thousands of people in Ogbaru Local Government Area, Anambra State,
The Prelate regretted that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children were the worst hit by the ravaging flood.
He said, “After the 2012 flooding that ravaged the whole of Anambra North Senatorial zone and Ogbaru Local Government in particular, I expected the Federal government to take proactive steps towards solving flooding problem but nothing was done and as a result many families have been rendered homeless.
“Women in labour, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children are trapped in many communities, while many families in Ogwuikpele, Akili Ozuzu and Obeagwu, also trapped are in very critical situation, requiring immediate evaluation.
“What concerns my people concerns me, as the only Bishop in Ogbaru Council Area, my heart bleeds when I see my people trapped, displaced and suffer as a result of flooding, the most heart breaking situation is seeing women in labour, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children trapped without any help in sight.
“I have said it before and I am saying it again, if we have government that is proactive this perennial problem of flooding that displaces thousands of families every year, would have been solved. Is not enough sending relief materials that is not enough for ten families and taking our people to Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camps, where they are abandoned.
“What we see here as flood is the spill over from the River Niger, other countries are dredging their big rivers, what is preventing Nigerian government from doing same here.”
