The Bonny Local Government Council says it is aware of the flooding debacle currently ravaging different parts of the LGA and was working to alleviate the sufferings of residents in that regard.

The LG Council, in a reply to Kristina Reports enquiry on the flooding issue through its Press Office, stated that the situation was compounded by the topography of the area being below sea level, stating further that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had earlier predicted unusual rainfall this year, which naturally aggravates the flooding issue.

“The Bonny Local Government Council is aware of the unfortunate flooding situation currently ravaging communities on the island occasioned by this year’s raining season and we are currently working to alleviate the discomfort our people are facing.”

ONWOKIRI (SANDFILLED) COMMUNITY THREATENED BY FLOOD

“We are aware that prior to the raining season, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) warned of increased amount of rainfall that was going to disproportionately affect low lying coastal areas of Nigeria, of which, alongside Victoria Island and Lekki Peninsula in Lagos, Bonny is also a prime spot.”

The LG Council, therefore, appealed to residents of the area to show more understanding by cooperating in efforts to desilt the drainages around their vicinity, disclosing that the LG Council has been deploying considerable amount of resources to desilt many of the drainages, but regretted that some residents were still dumping refuse inside them thus blocking them from evacuating flood waters.

“This is why Council encouraged residents to clean their drainages in previous sanitation exercises and went a step further to engage heavy machinery that was used to clear rubbish indiscriminately dumped in drainages.”

Government Lodge, Bonny at Hospital Road by Ukpo Avenue swamped in flood waters.

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“In the light of the current situation, we encourage residents to continue maintaining free flow of water in their drainages by removing all debris.

Due to the unique terrain of Bonny, we are not strangers to floods and overflowing river banks, which have been happening since time immemorial.

“As a government, we will do our part to cushion the effects of these forces or nature that are currently in play on our island and other low lying coastal areas of Nigeria.”

The heavy rains that have been witnessed in the past few days in Bonny LGA have negatively impacted several communities in the area, especially, the Bonny Main Town. These include Aganya, Ayambo, Perekule Iwoama, Park Community, Ukpo Avenue, Macaulay Street, Onwokiri (Sandfilled), Young Christian Close, New Jerusalem Road, King Jaja Street, New Layout Road, Vitch Street, Shell Pipeline, Akiama Community, and Cable Road, among others.    

Amidst the grueling hardship people in the area are facing in the wake of the lockdown imposed by the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, residents now have to grapple with the harrowing debacle of having their homes flooded every time it rains in the area.