With the heavy rainfall across the metropolis in the last few weeks, one will be correct to say that the rainy season has fully commenced. Just as other seasons, the rainy season comes with its benefits and woes;Â as the farmers would be happy for bountiful produces during harvest, so also will some persons be disturbed with the menace of erosion and flood challenges in their areas of abode.
Such is the case with residents, shop owners and users of the Sakpoba/Â Â Alihame road, in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State.
During a visit to the area recently by Ika Weekly Newspaper reporter, after a heavy down pour, some residents shared their experiences with the reporter:
Derick Mordi, a shoe cobbler, along Sakpoba/Alihame road Agbor said they always face the problem of flood and erosion from the beginning to the end of the road, whenever it rains. He appealed to Ika South Council Chairman and the Delta State Government to come to their aid by re-constructing the road and fixing drainages on both sides of the road to channel out flood to the Orogodo River, whenever it rains.
Sabastine Mordi, an electrical rewinder engineer, said when it rains, the place is usually very bad, because of the deplorable state of the road, with flood from the regular rainfalls flowing into his workshop and compound. He emphasized that residents and road users along the place do not have motorable road in the area. Continuing, Mr. Mordi appealed to the state government to help construct gutters in the area in order to channel water out of the area whenever it rains, emphasizing that if there is good drainage system in place, the water will not be gathering on the road and flowing into people’s compound and the road will last longer and remain motorable.
Speaking further, he disclosed that the flood usually affects his business as water always flows into his workshop.
Obo Egbe, a businessman, said, he feels so uncomfortable going to his store whenever it rains because the water normally enters his store because there is no drainage along the road, stressing that they need the government’s attention in the area to construct drainages on both sides of the road to channel out the flood.
Aunty Blessing, a hairdresser, along Sakpoba/Alihame road said she usually feels bad whenever it rains because her business environment will be flooded by muddy water which flows into her store. She appealed to the Delta State Government to construct drainages on both sides of the road to channel-out flood when it rains.
The owner of Mama Shiloh restaurant along the road opposite Baptist Girls High School, Alihame, Agbor, said the heavy down pour in most cases affects her business negatively; explaining that whenever it rains it cripples business activities for store owners in the area. She appealed to the authorities concern to help them salvage the situation by putting water channels at both sides of the road, so that they can have accessible road.
Omatsola Awosika, a civil servant, who also owns a business centre along Alihame road, said he does not know the adjective to use in qualifying the road whenever it rains, saying that in such situation when there becomes a downpour the road is nothing to write home about, emphasizing that the area is usually flooded and vehicle owners find it very difficult to access the road. Continuing, he stated that whenever it rains, shop owners in the area usually conclude that businesses are closed for that day. He appealed to the government to come to their rescue in alleviating the sufferings they are subjected to because of the bad state of the road; stressing that they need drainage in the area, noting that if they had drainage, residents would not have been having the current inconveniences that they are subjected to.
Vincent Daniel, a fashion designer, along Sakpoba/Alihame road, stated that the deplorable state of the road is quite disheartening; explaining that the front of his shop is always flooded when it rains and even after the rain customers find it very difficult to patronize him because of the muddy flood around the place. He appealed to the state government to come to their aid by reconstructing the road with drainage systems on both sides of the road.