Indigenes of Umeh community in Isoko South Local Government of Delta State and Okobe in Ahoada West Local Government of Rivers State have hailed Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for repairing the damaged sections of the East West road.

Speaking at the Umeh section of the East West road, near Patani, an indigene of the community, Mr. Alex Ifure, said the quick intervention of the NDDC was the saving grace for his people and commuters, who had suffered for many weeks on account of the devastation caused by the flood.

A statement signed yesterday by the NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Dr. Ibitoye Abosede, said Ifure expressed satisfaction about the restoration work being done by the construction company engaged by the NDDC to carry out emergency repairs on the road, which he noted was their only link to Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states.

He said besides the road, the flood also destroyed their farms, leaving the farmers with nothing to take to the markets to sell and feed themselves.

“Look at our market, it is scanty because our people have lost their crops to the flood,” he said.

Read Also: NDDC releases list of 2,506 projects completed under Buhari

The Umeh Market Master, Emmanuel Ogberiegbe, said if NDDC had not rescued them, many people would have died of hunger because they were predominantly farmers.

At Okobe community in Ahoada East Local Government of Rivers State, the monarch of Igbuduya Kingdom, Eze Ikaki Ikaki, said his people were happy that the NDDC intervened to ease their pains from the devastation caused by the flood.

He said: “This is what we expected. I say kudos to NDDC and the Federal Government. We also expect the commission and the various levels of government to engage us in discussions to work out a lasting solution to the perennial flood.”

The traditional ruler advised the contractor to deliver quality job, regardless of the urgent nature of the emergency repairs.

He said: “This section of the road needs a bridge, not culverts. It is obvious that the small culverts cannot take the volume of water on the road whenever flood hits.”

A motorist, Inyang Victor, appealed to the Federal Government to look for a solution to the flood problem, which he said was taking a huge toll on the lives of the people in the affected communities.

A commuter from Bayelsa State, Mrs. Esther Austin, said she was surprised at the quick intervention of the NDDC in the wake of the collapse of the East-West road at several points.

The Project Manager of SETRACO, Michel Issa, said the company had worked round the clock to ensure the road was passable.

He said: “We mobilised our equipment to the bad sections as soon as NDDC engaged us. We have successfully fixed the bad sections of the road.”