Flood takes over road to Jonathan’s hometown


The road leading to Otuoke hometown of President Goodluck Jonathan in Ogbia Local Government, Bayelsa State, has been covered by flood.

Our correspondent observed that the surging water had been forcing motorists to abandon the road, which is the shortest route to Otuoke from Yenagoa, the state capital.

Our correspondent also observed that pedestrians, who insisted on accessing Otuoke through the road, were almost swimming as the water got to their hips.

Some of the residents blamed the flooding on the poor state of the road.

One of them, who identified himself as Emmanuel, described the road as “shoddy”.

He said, “The road connects many communities, including Otuoke. But it has become a death trap in a recent times. Many accidents occur on this road because it has many dangerous bends. Apart from that there is no drainage. This is the reason why has been over taken by flood.”

He added that the excavation of sand and movement of trucks had worsened the condition of the road.

He appealed to the President to give the road leading to his hometown a facelift.

Our correspondent learnt that the road was constructed partly by Jonathan when he was the governor of the state, and the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Governor Seriake Dickson in his Independence message pledged to tour all the affected communities and to evolve strategies of preventing flooding in the state.

He said, “I would like to sympathise with all the communities ravaged by floods in the state. As you will recall, a government took early steps to address the issue of blocked drainages in Yenagoa metropolis.”

Meanwhile, a primary school building in Tombia, Yenagoa Local Government of the state collapsed following the flood which submerged the town, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Amananaowei of Tombia, Chief Christian Otobotekere, said this when Dr. Sylvanus Abila, the state Commissioner for Environment, and his team visited the area on a flood impact assessment tour.

Source