Rivers community denounces perennial flooding, outbreak of diseases

The Aggah community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has lamented outbreak of pneumonia and other diseases as a result of flood in their area.

The community also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to alleviate their suffering.

The community has been flooded as a result of persistent rain. The community experiences annual flooding, which it attributes to the activities of oil exploration activities in the area.

The community said Nigeria Agip Oil Company had built some of its oil wells on water right-of-way, through which water from the community empties into Orashi River and ever since the community had been prone to flooding.

Among the residents who expressed this view was Mr. Everistus Nicholas, the leader of Egbema Voice of Freedom, who said the flood was caused by an elevated platform belonging to Agip.

Another resident, Mrs. Victoria Elechi said the community had been suffering flooding for more than 36 years and expressed worries that no step had been taken to resolve it, and that now several people were down with pneumonia and other diseases.

She said, “The flood has taken over the whole community and we are suffering. The buildings are covered and all the properties in most houses especially those houses whose owners are not around have been damaged. Everybody has parked out. It is causing pneumonia in the community. We are also afraid that pregnant women may have contracted diseases which may cause miscarriage. Mosquitoes are everywhere causing malaria. We really need help.”