By Izunna Okafor, Awka
It was a flood like never before along the Ogidi/Umunnachi axis of the Awka—Onitsha Old Road in Anambra State on over the week as major parts of the road got submerged by water.
This resulted following a heavy downpour that badgered in the morning, noon and evening hours of Tuesday, as well as the blockage of some major drainage channels on both sides of the ever-busy road.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, who witnessed the submergence, observed that the flood, which was about 3-feet deep or more, started from the Junction of the Ebenezer Secondary School, Ogidi, with a stretch of about 200 meters long.
It was further observed that many vehicles, including commercial and private, were stuck in the pool of the flood, as water infiltrated their engines, resulting in their immediate blink off and being trapped in the pool of the flood. This led to the occupants of the unlucky/trapped vehicles having no other option but to alight unto the roaring dirty flood and help rescue the vehicle.
Some area boys were also seen at the scene, leveraging and taking advantage of the situation to make some cool cash by assisting any driver who sought their services to push out stuck vehicles to the dry land.
Although, few lucky drivers succeeded in maneuvering and driving past the flood, many others got trapped down in the pool of the flood, including some motorcyclists; even as some others who could not dare the adventure turned/diverted early, and plied alternate routes, after seeing/hearing of others’ ordeals.
The situation also favoured some nearby mechanics in the area, as many trapped-but-rescued vehicles that developed serious issues as a result of the flood queued up along the various mechanic workshops in wait of their turns to be serviced or repaired.
This got many of the commuters and travellers stranded, especially those who still had far distances ahead to get to their destinations at such late hours of the day.
Many of the stranded passengers, who could not wait further after exhausting their patience, resorted to paying the drivers some negotiable parts of the initially agreed amount and boarding different vehicles to complete their journeys.
Although, these commuters would still have to trek some meters further from the place before seeing vehicles that still had spaces to accommodate additional passengers and the ones coming out from the alternative routes. This was because the situation immediately resulted in the scarcity of and the high demand for commercial vehicles in the area at that moment, which also led to an instant uprise in the cost of transportation to any location along that road at the moment, to the tune of almost 100% increase from the usual amount being charged prior to the flooding.
Some denizens of the area, who spoke with this reporter, lamented that the situation had become a regular phenomenon, especially during the rainy seasons, to the extent that the flood also extends to, infiltrates, and destroys things in many households and farmlands within the neighbourhood on a regular basis.
“We are tired of complaining, because, for the ones we have complained so far, we didn’t see changes. So, we have taken it as our own natural disaster. Many of us don’t even live in this area anymore for now, because many times, the flooding happens in the midnight and take over the entire house, leaving everybody stranded and forcing us to start looking for alternative places to sleep and keep our animals and other property. Is that what we should be doing every day and night?” Mr. Romanus Ezenwa, a denizen if the area recounted.
This reporter, who inspected parts of the drainage channels in the flooded area observed that they were free for water flow. However, the flood appeared to have overflown to the main road and submerged it from a section, raising concerns about the reasons for the outflow and the actual source(s) of the flood.
When contacted by the reporter, the State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma, said the problem was created when the road was being constructed, being the period the flood was channeled to the drainage in area. He, however, noted that the situation has aggravated given the structural developments that are springing up in the area and the increase in the runoff water due to climate change, which lead to more water being flooded into the area.
“That problem was created when that road was being built many years ago, and the water was channeled to that drainage. Unfortunately, over time, with the development and increase in the runoff water due to climate change, more water has been flooded into that area.
“But what has happened is that as it gets flooded, there is no channel that takes it to any nearby river, or a nearby stream; and that creates a problem,” the Commissioner explained.
He, however, noted that the government is already on top of the situation, working towards ensuring appropriate channelling and flowing of the flood.
According to him, “As a state government, we’ve already started doing something about that before now. That flow channel runs from there to the Inland Door in Nkpor. From the Inland Door, it crosses Michael Ajaegbo Road that goes into Obosi, to Owereaja. From Owereaja, it crosses the Owerri-Onitsha Road, to the Metallurgical Institute. And, from there, it goes to the Idemili River.
“That is actually the drainage channel within that area, as created by God. This has actually been distorted by human beings.
“So, as a state government, we’ve first of all awarded the Owereaja Flood Control that takes water from Owereaja to the Idemili River. Unfortunately, the contractor is not doing well, and we’ve intended to terminate the job.
“Then, we’ve also awarded the second contract that takes from the Inland Door to the Owereaja. And, the third phase will take us to Ogidi.
“So, we are very intentional and serious about this. This has actually been something that has been existing over the years. But, because we are building a livable prosperous homeland, it is the intention of the Governor Chukwuma Soludo Administration to address and tackle the flood menace and the flooding that is disturbing the state.
“And, this is what we’ve done so far towards addressing that problem in that area, with more phases still ongoing. We just say to the people, Exercise a little patience; and in no distant time from now, we would have resolved all the problems.”
Commissioner Okoma also dismissed the speculation that “the sizes of the gutters are too small to contain the flood, thereby making it to overflow to the main road.”
His words: “No, it is not about the size of drainage channel. You see, the volume of the floodwater that is coming into the place from the far and near distances are all connecting in that area, especially that boundary between Ogidi and Ogbunike. If you look at the way the topography is running, using Google map, you will see the flow pattern.
“All the floodwaters from that area are collecting there at that spot. But they need to be discharged; and where are they going to? They are going to the Idemili River (which is several kilometers away from there), travelling through the Inland Door channel in Nkpor and so on and so forth as I told you before, till they get to the Idemili River.
“Before now, as a result of this, the amount of flood water that used to go to the Inland Door once it rained was very tremendous, to the extent that it usually carried vehicles away. But, we have resolved that now. This time, we’ve not had any flooding in inland door because we’ve resolved that. But we’re now working on taking this flood water (because water finds its natural channel) down to Obosi to join the Owereaja; and from Owereaja, through the Express, to the Metallurgical Institute, and then to the Idemili River. These are the things we are currently doing to take care of the situation.
“So, it’s not actually because of the size of the drainage, but a problem of where such a volume of floodwater gathering there will seamlessly discharge within that area whenever it rains.”
The Commissioner also condemned some human activities and acts of negligence that contribute to the worsening menace of (both minor and major) flooding in some areas, ranging from improper channeling of floodwater, to drainage blockage, among others, while calling on Ndị Anambra to help and also support, rather than sabotage, the sincere and tireless efforts of the state government to address the problem of floodwater and its menace.
“Ndị Anambra, we should help ourselves. How could you build your house and you allow all the floodwaters from your house to get to the road. Where are they going to? By doing this, each bare place that was existing that absorbs water, you’ve taken the water away, straight to the road. Why should it be so?
“That’s why we, as a government, are trying to put a deliberate policy to ensure that the water from every compound will retain in that compound, just like it’s done in the Aguata Area, specifically in Isuofia — no water comes out from your compound to the road. So, that stops flooding and stops erosion.
“So, we will try to drive this down. Imagine all these floodwaters that come to roads, if people are doing retention basis in their compounds and channelling the floodwaters there to sink, you would see that the amount of floodwater that will be coming out will absolutely reduce. But these days, every person floods his compound and channels the water away to outside. So, it creates the problem.
“Consequently, the more buildings are coming up, the more the floodwater is being discharged to the road; and the more this kind of problem increases. So, as we, as a government, are doing something to resolve that issue, the citizens should also help us by doing what they are supposed to do. And, together, we can defeat the problem,” Commissioner Okoma concluded.
More videos and pictures from the scene:
