School children and passengers were Thursday morning stranded along Enugu-Nsukka expressway, by Ugwuoye, Nsukka, following the flooding of the expressway by early morning heavy downpour. THE WHISTLER reports that the double-lane expressway is the route connecting the university community to Enugu and other eastern states.
“I didn’t allow my child to go to school today because of the flood,” says Mary, a mother. “I drove her to Ugwuoye, and when I saw the flood covering both sides of the road, I reversed. Many other parents did the same. It was the only option because I didn’t see vehicles coming from the Ogige Market end of the road. Precaution is the best solution to danger. This is what we have been passing through for over three years now. And the government is just watching us.”
Another parent, Isaac Onah, said he asked his daughter to walk through the road demarcation when his vehicle could not go beyond the flooded area.
“I told her to pull off her shoes to avoid slipping. I had wanted her to cancel going to school today, but she refused. She is in SSI, so I believe that she can navigate the odds. It is unfortunate. We are deserted by the government, and our leaders have kept quiet. This expressway has been a nightmare to us whenever it rains. Even the Catholic Church by the roadside is not left out as its premises, including those of nearby government primary schools, are always submerged when there is a heavy downpour,” said Onah.
A resident of the area, Okechukwu Ibekwe, said the state of flooding on the road is frustrating. In his words, “The flood overflows the banks of the expressway along Ugwuoye. It then flows to other routes and blocks them. It extends as far as New Anglican Road, Achara Road and beyond. So we are cut off. A few months ago, the authorities of Nsukka LGA tried to open up the blocked gutters, but later abandoned the scheme. We keep telling them to invite RCC that constructed the road during the administration of former Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Last week, some vehicles that tried to drive across the flooded parts got stuck on the road. Under this condition, there is no movement today until it drains. Very few people can take the risk.”
A politician, Hon Charles Azegbe, blamed political will for the non-fixing of the road. “The cause of the flooding is not rocket science,” says Azegbe. “There is an underground drainage whose sieving gadgets were vandalised. It started gradually, and both government authorities and individuals neglected it until the drainage was blocked underground. From there, the gutters became blocked. The victims are many. Filling stations, superstores, Access Bank (Enugu Road branch), and other businesses are being adversely affected. St John’s Catholic Church is submerged too. There are school within the church. All of them have been affected.
“If the system is sincere, why not address the matter by engaging a reputable construction company to open up the blocked channels? Why not set up a task force to address residents pouring refuse into gutters? We have left our fate to God. The LGA engaged some individuals to evacuate the debris blocking the gutters. But the solution didn’t come. We may hope that the Chancellor of Maduka University, Maduka Onyishi, would address it because it leads to the university’s teaching hospital.”
The flood, it was gathered, also submerged residential buildings along the road. A victim, Nnamdi Ogbodo, said, “We were forced out of sleep by the flood. It was unstoppable. Our houses and rooms were flooded. Everything is destroyed. This has become a routine. We only rest during dry season. This morning’s flooding affected almost all the buildings along this road. We hope and pray for the setting in of dry season. The government has failed us.”
