Yenagoa – Heavy rains in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, has led to flooding in the city’s residential neighborhoods forcing residents to flee their homes.
A flooded house abandoned by owners in Jasmine Suite Road, Kpansia
Residents claim that the flood is caused by the lack of a working drainage system in the city and unplanned construction embarked by the Bayelsa State Government. This opinion is also shared by experts. A town planner who wants to remain anonymous noted that water levels is not suppose to lead to flooding at this time of the year. SAYELBA was unable to measure the water level but residents in residential estates in Kpansia, Biogbolo, Okutukutu, Ekeki, Okaka and Onopa were seen pumping water out of their homes.
There have been no attempts by the city authorities to address the flooding. Efforts to reach the Bayelsa State Capital City Development Authority proved abortive as the official telephone numbers provided by the authorities were switched off at the time of filing this report.
Bayelsa State received about N95,75 Billion (Ninety Five Billion, Seventy Five Million Naira) from the federation account from January to June 2014. This is the third highest allocation to any state in Nigeria. Yet, residents continue to complain about poor development in the state.
Floods in Azikoro Housing Estate, Ekeki, Yenagoa.
Azikoro Housing Estate, Ekeki, Yenagoa
Health Workers in the city warned that the current flooding is a health and sanitation hazard that could led to an epidemic. In Onopa, the lower part of the community that is on the bank of the epie creek is completely submerged under water, reports says.
See more pictures of the flood in Yenagoa…
Azikoro Housing Estate, Ekeki, Yenagoa.
Onopa waterfronts. Residents continue to complain about government neglect.
Main entrance into Azikoro Housing Estate, Ekeki, Yenagoa.
Sayelba Times 