Lokogoma residents seek FCTA’s support to prevent flood
NAN-H-44
Flood
By Uche Bibilari/Jacinta Nwachukwu
Lokogoma (FCT), Aug. 28, 2017 (NAN) Some residents of Lokogoma have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to proffer solution to the condition of the roads in the area to avoid re-occurrence of flooding.
They made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday at Lokogoma near Apo District of Abuja, FCT.
They, however, attributed the incident of flooding in recent times to improper planning of the area.
NAN Correspondents, who visited the site ten days after the incident that claimed the lives of a father and two children, report that no rehabilitation work has commenced on the area.
NAN also reports that houses have been built on the water ways which contributed to the flood in the area.
There is also deep erosion seen around the area as well as blocked water channels.
Mr Isaac Amos, a resident of the area, said that it was the first time such is happening in the area and called on government to repair the roads in the area.
He said there was an initial road that residents of the estate usually pass through, but buildings have taken over the place leading them to go through the narrow bridge.
“ This is the first time we are experiencing flooding in this road, it is like the river behind the estate overflowed and covered the whole roads with water when it rains.
“We use to pass through one road but now people have built on the area, and because the whole water ways have been blocked with houses the area has become prone to flood,’’ Amos noted.
Another resident, Mrs Beatrice Adams observed that most of the areas where people built estate use to be water ways, saying improper planning of the areas made it prone to flood.
Adams also noted that each time there was heavy rain some fences were submerged and sometimes collapsed.
She, however, appealed to all the relevant stakeholders as well as government to act fast and proffer lasting solution to prevent future occurrence of flood in the area.
She equally affirmed that nothing has been done in the area even after the incident that claimed a man and his two children.
Mr Isa Shuaibu, an Okada rider in the area said that the road had been in bad condition for some time now, adding that it was always worst during the rainy season.
According to him, something needs to be done urgently to avoid the re-occurrence of flooding in the area again.
NAN recalled that on August 17, 2017 flooding at the Lokogoma District claimed three lives; a father, a daughter and a son.
A bridge in the area was said to have been submerged by flood making it difficult for him to identify between the bridge and the road.
An official at the FCTA told NAN under condition of anonymity that the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, had directed the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take quick measures to investigate the report of the fatal flood incident in the area.
He said the FCTA was out to determine its root cause with a view to preventing future occurrences. (NAN)
JIN/UU/AK/AFA
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Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Felix Ajide