…Solution Proffered
An Elder Statesman, Chief A.A. Worlu, has blamed sea surge for the perennial flooding in some Rivers communities, especially those close to seashores.
Chief Worlu, who disclosed this to our correspondent while recounting the sufferings Rivers people are passing through as a result of flood, said the large volumes of water that the rivers/seas push out during rainy seasons, find its way into neighbouring communities, resulting in flooding.
According to him, when the seas were overfilled as a result of persistent rainfall, they become angry, pushing out large volume of the water to the communities nearby.
He mentioned Orashi, Bonny and Ogba Ebgbema as areas that run the risk of being submerged in flood as a result of overflowing of seas and rivers.
Attempting to offer solution to the interactable problem, the prominent Rumuigbo chief said dredging of the rivers could offer temporary relief to the affected communities but not final solution.
He said if the rivers are dredged the volume of water would go down and thus there won’t be enough to push out in anger, stressing, however, that in due course, sands would fill up the rivers and the level of water would increase again, posing more problems to the communities, especially during the rains.
Chief Worlu said the permanent solution is for the Federal Government to build a long and high brick wall across the communities that would push back the waters.
The type of wall he suggested, although not like the wall of Jericho, Chief Worlu said it would cost millions of dollars, stressing that only the Federal Government has the capacity to undertake such a project.
“It would involve piling of bricks with lots of quality irons and rods. It will look like bridge beacons that involve quality irons and rods and requires massive constructions. The rods and irons would cost a fortune, and a qualified contractor like Julius Berger which would handle the project would ask for millions of dollars to execute the gigantic project.
“So, such project could only be handled by the Federal Government, who has the resources and wherewithal,” the Elder Statesman told National Network.
Chief Worlu said the Rivers State government could only provide relief materials and temporary abode for the victims of the flood, stressing that Wike’s government had done her best to give those affected succor.
