Scores of traders in Mile 3 market,Port Harcourt, affected by flood occasioned by torrential rainfall in the area have appealed to the Rivers State government to come to their rescue by addressing perennial flood disaster in the area.
Speaking on the development, one of the market leaders ,Chief Anthony Okorodu, lamented the damages done to their stalls and called for an urgent action too tackle the challenge in the market and its environs .
On what may have caused the flood in the area, and possible solution he said that the drainage system needed to be evacuated to rid it of wastes and other debris. He gave further insights stating that erosion causing floods from other locations linking to the channels around parts on Mile 3 and the Market had continued to sack the location.
Chief Okorodo appealed to the Rivers State government to spread its tentacles of rehabilitation to the drainage systems in the area. He stated that affected traders were yet to recover from damages done to their wares.
One of the affected shop owners,, Mrs Joyce Wisdom lamented that she lost her food stuffs commodities to flood. According to her, she lost so much to the flood that she could only start business afresh. “What I sell are perishable items like raw food stuffs in bags and other commodities items. I had thought that as the markets were reopened after embargo on market closure was lifted by the governor that I could come out and work to cover lost ground”.
Also speaking, Adamu Ashim, stated that flood in the area has continued to deal with his goat selling business, just as the space where the herd were kept suddenly turned into a swamp, which he said is unhealthy for his goats .
In his own reaction, Monday Odum, iron and steel merchant reacted by arguing that flood from Ikwerre Road may be responsible for what is currently causing distress to many in the market. He also called for government intervention to put an end to flood disaster in the area. He also appeal for change of attitude by those who dump wastes in the water channels.
It could be recalled that NIMET and other government agencies had issued flood alert warning that some states, including Rivers State were likely to experience food disaster in the country, even and they advised on the need to put measures in place to cushion the effects.
