According to The PUNCH, serious flood has sacked over 500 residents and destroyed more than 120 houses in Ikot Obio Atai community of Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom State

It was gathered that the palace of the village head of the community, Mkpong Okon Mkpong, has been overtaken by the flood, causing his relocation to Udo Usanga street.

Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday the village head of the community called on the state government to come to the aid of the community adding that the flood was beyond the village’s capacity to handle.

He lamented that the community has written several letters to successive state governments without response.

”The community has written to the government till date, nothing has happened, Since 1999, nothing has happened. If it was possible, the community would have addressed the problem. It is difficult for us. Governor Udom Emmanuel should come and help us. We are all members of the PDP. It is sad that even the village head’s house is underwater and yet they say that Akwa Ibom is beautiful.” the monarch lamented.

A Member representing Itu State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon Kufre Edidem, who is also an indigene of the community said the flood started when he was the chairman of Itu Local Government Council during the administration of Godswill Akpabio.

He recalled that what the state government did then was to refer him to the then deputy governor, who facilitated officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, to visit the village and share relief materials with the victims.

The lawmaker claimed that he has brought the state Commissioner for Environment and Works to inspect the flood site adding that he has forwarded the complaints to the state government.

On why he has not brought the issue before the assembly under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, Edidem retorted, ” Do you want the thing on the floor or do you want the problem solved? So if you want the problem solved, it is when you are a legislator and you don’t have a good relationship with the executive and the executive does not listen to you that is when you bring the matter to the floor of the house to catch the attention of the executive.

“But if the executive is already listening to you; the commissioner for finance, commissioner for environment followed me, they made the engineering drawings and they are working on it for next year’s budget, and it has been put in the budget, so what do you want the matter on the floor? It is for sensationalism or what?” he queried.

The flooded area is located just less than two kilometres from the main gate of the Town Campus of the University of Uyo.