Godwin AJOM, Calabar
As ugly tales about the ravaging flood disaster continue to spread across the country, flood victims in Cross River state have called on the state and federal governments to come to their rescue and avert the hunger they are facing currently.
Some of the victims who were interviewed by TNN in Cross River explained that they have lost their homes, rice farms, cassava, sugar cane and other farm produce including shelter, to flood this year.
“I am Mr Sunday Oyama. I am from Ogurude community in Obubra Local Government Area. The flood dealt with us. Presently, our yam, melon, sugar cane rice, cassava farms have been swept and washed away by water.
“We even lost more than four people too from my village who were trying to leave the community on a local boat. So many houses have been lost. As I talk to you, the state and federal governments have not done anything to help us. Our people are starving; we don’t have food to eat, we now go to Ochorn, Iyamoyong who were not affected by the floods, to buy food before we can eat. Please we need food, we need our houses to be fixed, so we won’t remain homeless.
“We have been suffering from communal war since 2017, just 2021 that the crisis subsided and we were feeling that we would now have access to farm in our lands and have a better living, but now flood has taken over and destroyed everything. Please Let government remember us.”
Mr Oyama though losing four persons in his community, has a different story from Daniel Ogurukpon.
“Floods have taken away our farms. All the cassava and rice that I have planted have been washed away. This is the third phase of the flood this year in this place. My hope for this year’s planting season is dashed.
Flood: Bayelsa Urges FG To Engage Affected States In Planning, Implementation
“Let help be sent to us so that next her we will cultivate again. I farm rice and cassava and I have children and a wife. It’s over a month now though I didn’t lose any life, but my farm is gone. Please, please help me.”
He explained that he was not the only one but that several persons from his community also went through the same tragedy.
Meanwhile the State Emergency Management Agency SEMA, has said that over 10 out of the 18 local governments in Cross River state are affected by flood.
PDP Dismisses APC’s Accusation Against Diri On Arrest Of Social Media Influencer
Speaking to our reporter, Mr Prinecwill Ayim confirmed that “yes we are affected by the flood; our state is also affected,” he explained that local governments affected cut across all the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to SEMA, Odukpani, Ogoja, Ikom, Boki, Bakassi and several other local governments are affected by flood in the state.
