[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile the Delta state government and her functionaries are busy in a ‘jamboree’ like thanksgiving over a state created 29 years ago with little to show, her citizens are battling with the impact of flooding.
While some believed that the downpour on an auspicious occasion such as this, is a blessing but to the residents of the state capital mostly Umunkwo Street in Umuezei, Asaba, it is a curse for rain to fall. Umunkwo Street is submerged in flood following torrential rains.
The decision of Governor Okowa Ifeanyi (SMART AGENDA) to create the Delta Capital Territory Development Agency, DCTDA, 29 years after its creation, was an indication that the state capital has not attained the status it ought to have attained in terms of infrastructure and living conditions of the citizens in the capital city. That was why the state government
created an agency to give it that bite and focus, but the reverse was the case of this agency.
The ever-busy Umunkwo Street in Umuezei off St. Brigid’s road link to Police “A” Division and Asagba Secondary school is now a death trap,as motorists who ply the road declared protest to draw state government’s attention to its poor state as floods have rendered the street impassable for months now. Motorists and passengers press home their anger against state government’s alleged nonchalant attitude towards its repair.
Following the pressure of heavy car movement, impacts of climate change, poor maintenance of Road, fear of road failure,
automobile accidents have become “playmates of motorists”, and motorists plying the ever busy Umunkwo Street in Umuezei
link to Police “A” Division and Asagba Secondary school.
Motorists plying Umunkwo Street take risk everyday driving on top of the failed portions and flooded road with fear, as
a result of the failed portion. we will continue to protest until government repairs the road”. we are worried by the
alleged lukewarm attitude reportedly exhibited by the agency in charge and state government toward addressing the
impending doom, dangling, tongues have started wagging, as Deltans, plying the road tongue lash Delta Capital Territory
Development Agency, DCTDA and the State Government Ministry of work (as we can nolonger talk of our dead Direct Labour Agency- DLA) for alleged insensitivity toward employing proactive measures swiftly to address the deadly situation.
Investigation revealed that deep potholes litter the Umunkwo Street,especially the entrance from St. Brigid’s road where they have been hue and cry of incessant accident cases recorded because the whole street is now submerged and motorist can no longer ply the road again.
In spite of the hue and cry which greeted the series of bloody accidents recorded on the submerged street everyday, we call on the state government to declare state of Emergency on Umunkwo street to safe lives and properties.
Grassroots Publishers online,however, pleads with the Delta State Government to declare state of Emergence on this deadly Umunkwo road, by employing temporary measures,such as filling this embarrassing spot with stones and by constructing urgent drainage because if the situation is not swiftly given attention,calamity will soon befall the residents of this street which will soon claim many lives and properties.
As the condition of the road becomes more deplorable following the rapid development of many dangerous spots,especially, the fast developing flooding on the road,The Grassroots Publishers are calling on state government to employ proactive measures to avert loss of lives and properties, A Stitch in Time Saves Nine.
By:Philip Ike Abiagom