Severe flooding and the absence of a functional bridge have plunged Azuoto Okpuitumo Village in Okpuitumo Community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State into deep hardship, prompting an urgent appeal to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for immediate intervention.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, the Youth President of the community, Mr. Augustine Nwovu, lamented that the village has remained cut off from the rest of the Okpuitumo Community due to the lack of a motorable road and a durable bridge across the Oto River.
According to him, the situation becomes dire between May and October, when the Oto and Ebonyi rivers overflow their banks, flooding the entire area and rendering the community inaccessible.
“Once the rains come, the flood takes over everything. We used to construct a makeshift bamboo bridge, but the flood always sweeps it away. Many of our children have drowned while trying to cross the river to go to school. Getting to our own community becomes a nightmare," Nwovu said.
With the village cut off, residents are forced to take a long, stressful, and expensive detour through Ndinwogba Amachi Village, a route many villagers struggle to afford.
Beyond human casualties, the persistent flooding has also brought devastating agricultural losses. Nwovu noted that the community largely dependent on farming loses acres of rice, yam, and cassava farmlands annually, pushing many families into hunger and poverty.
“Government should help us before hunger kills our people. Every year, we invest all we have in farming, and every year the floods carry everything away. Sometimes we can’t even afford to pay school fees," he said.
Nwovu also expressed disappointment over what he described as political neglect. He said that since the creation of the village, no indigene of Azuoto Okpuitumo has ever been appointed as a management committee member, ward councillor, or liaison officer, despite the village having a voting population of over 5,000.
He lamented that the community is remembered only during election campaigns, describing them as “totally forgotten” by political officeholders.
Despite their grievances, Nwovu reaffirmed the community’s loyalty to Governor Nwifuru, assuring that the people remain committed to supporting his administration.
“Our support for Governor Nwifuru is unwavering. We are ready to deliver 100% votes for him in the 2027 general elections. All we ask is that he remembers us and helps alleviate our suffering," he concluded.
