By Emmanuel Ikpe, Uyo
The Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Council of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Williams Mkpah has appealed to the federal and state governments for urgent intervention to ameliorate the suffering of Itak Abasi villagers whose land has been submerged by flood.
Mkpah said the villagers have also been rendered homeless with properties worth millions of naira destroyed as a result of the floods.
Conducting the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Uno Etim Uno and journalists round the affected village on Monday, Mkpah narrated that he got a distress call from the village head of the Village, Obong Isemin Enyina that the ancient community was overrun by the ocean.
The monarch said residents of the community were then rendered homeless accompanied by destruction of sources of their livelihood.
He however expressed gratitude that no life was lost in the environmental incident.
“Itak Abasi is one of the oldest village in Ibeno, it is the ancient community that King Jaja attacked in the eighteen centuries, we relocated from here to Okurutip and then spread to other villages in Ibeno, we built a Primary School here and provided water for them but those things have been totally destroyed by flood as at today.
“Itak Abasi village has been a very old community with about 8,200 persons residing here. We can’t afford to lose this community to the ocean. This is where the wealth of the nation is taken from. We cannot be feeding the country while staying hungry and homeless,” Mkpah lamented.
He appealed to the federal government through the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) and Akwa Ibom State Government to immediately come to the people’s rescue ahead of setting of a refugee camp where the victims are expected to be relocated.
“We cannot risk them staying here anymore because anything can happen. This is September and there is no school here as the only school here has been submerged by the ocean, there is no medical facility here and you have seen so many of them crying for medical attention now.
“We need help, we need so many relief materials, food, sleeping materials and clothes for them. We sincerely need help. – Mkpah added.
The State Commissioner for Environment expressed sadness at the plight of the people and promised that the government would do everything possible to alleviate their suffering.
Mr. Eno stated that the government will work towards finding a permanent solution to the problem of ocean surge in the area.
He added that such disaster has most times been aggravated by construction, exploration and exploitation operations of companies.
He then called on all operators in the area to always incorporate Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) component in their investment plans, so as to ensure a preserved environment in the course of their operations.
Similarly, the Chairman of BOT Ibeno Local Government PIA trust fund, Mr. Samuel Thomas, member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Hon. Engr. Udobia Udoh expressed sadness over the situation.
They solicited for immediate intervention to bring succour to the people.
The village head of Itak Abasi, Obong Isemin Enyina and the Chairman of the village council, Chief Michael Livingston, said inhabitants of the village are helpless, hopeless and stranded and their only source of livelihood has been overtaken by flood with no place to sleep, no water to drink and no food to eat.
