By Emmanuel Agbo, Abakaliki.
Flooding has submerged farmlands in Azuoto Okpuitumo village, Okpuitumo community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, destroying crops and threatening the livelihoods and food security of residents who depend largely on subsistence farming.
The affected farmlands reportedly include yam, cassava and rice plantations, with farmers counting their losses following the destruction of crops cultivated to feed their families, generate income and finance their children's education.
The flooding was attributed to the overflow of the Ebonyi and Oto rivers following heavy rainfall in the area a few days ago. Although no deaths or damage to residential buildings were reported, the destruction of farmlands has heightened concerns over the economic survival of the affected households.
Residents disclosed that the community had been experiencing recurrent flooding since June, with the disaster typically occurring between June and October each year.
One of the affected farmers, Mr Chinedu Nwogha, lamented that the recurring disaster had subjected residents to severe hardship, despite their efforts to cultivate crops for household consumption and commercial purposes.
He appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently intervene and provide relief to the affected farmers.
According to him, the community's location between the Ebonyi and Oto rivers makes it particularly vulnerable to seasonal flooding.
“Azuoto Okpuitumo village is surrounded by the Ebonyi and Oto rivers, and the flood comes every month from June to October.
“Every year, after labouring to farm so that we can have food to eat and train our children in school, the flood comes and destroys everything. Our major occupation here is farming, but it is very worrisome that after all our labour, we may have nothing left to eat,” Nwogha said.
Beyond the destruction of agricultural produce, residents are also grappling with poor road access, which they said had compounded their difficulties and restricted their economic activities.
The Oto River reportedly cuts off the village from other parts of Okpuitumo community, making movement difficult and hindering the transportation of farm produce to urban markets.
The situation has forced residents to rely on Ndinwogba Amachi in neighbouring Amachi community as an alternative route, a development that reportedly creates additional challenges for farmers seeking to move their produce to market centres.
Residents said the absence of an accessible road and a bridge across the river had continued to impede the community's development, particularly during the rainy season when flooding becomes more pronounced.
They appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to facilitate the construction of a bridge across the Oto River to provide reliable access to the village and ease the transportation of agricultural produce.
The residents also called for the provision of boreholes and other basic amenities to improve living conditions and address the community's developmental challenges.
They expressed support for Nwifuru's re-election bid in 2027, citing their desire for continuity in the implementation of his administration's People's Charter of Needs agenda.
However, the residents' immediate concern remains the destruction of their farmlands and the potential consequences for household food supplies and income, as they urged the relevant emergency management authorities and the state government to provide timely assistance and address the community's recurring flood and access-road problems.
