Flood sacks road linking Jonathan’s hometown

…As NEMA erects 68 tents for displaced persons

By  Samuel  Oyadongha

Yenagoa – The Onuebum Road linking Otuoke, home town of President Goodluck Jonathan, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Azikoro, a Yenagoa suburb, has been cut off by flood.

Meantime, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, yesterday, said it had commenced erecting 68 tents in three temporary camps in Yenagoa for persons displaced by flood.

The agency said 24 tents, construction of which were ongoing at the moment, would be erected at Igbogene helipad to accommodate displaced persons from six councils of the state who are currently relocating to Yenagoa for shelter.

The three emergency camps, NEMA said, will be located in Igbogene, the Samson Siasia Sport Complex and at Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, all in Yengaoa.

Meanwhile, following collapse of Onuebum Road linking Otuoke, canoe operators are now making brisk business by ferrying stranded commuters from both ends across the flooded section on the payment of N100 per passenger.

The Azikoro-Agbura-Onuebu-Otuoke flank is the shortest route to Ogbia town for Bayelsans residing close to Ekeki surbub to down town Yenagoa.

This reporter, who visited the area, yesterday, noticed several stranded passengers waiting for canoes to be ferried across the large pool of water, which could be mistaken for a community lake.

Some other commuters were seen pleading with taxi drivers to take them back to Yenagoa while others went through Imiringi-Emeyal axis to get to their destinations.

A native of the area, who identified himself as Mr. Ezekiel Azibanator, a lawyer, called on President Jonathan to come to the aide of his kinsmen by providing relief materials to victims of the flood impacted communities.