During the weekend markerters good worth millions of Naira were destroyed at the Building Material Market Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State following the torrential rains that wrecked havoc in the market.
Traders, whose shops and vehicles were submerged by the rising water levels have continued to count their losses as they spent time draining their shops and wares.
Reacting, President General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo attributed the flooding to activities of private property developers who erected structures at the entrance to the market.
He regretted that the flood affected most of the shops at the private plazas and major entrance to the market.
He said, “Apart from the structures and plazas that block the existing drainages along the market, some others whose structures are legally constructed didn’t make provisions for drainage channels.
“I had approached some of the property owners to give out some portion of their lands so that the market could construct a big drainage system that will be channeled to the tunnel built by the Federal government at expressway but they refused.”
On his part, Chairman Board of Trustee of the market, Sir Mike Aguiyi, described the situation as terrible, stressing the need for government to ensure drainage channels were opened and new ones constructed as the traders could not handle it alone.
One of the victims, Benedict Chukwuelue decried the overflowing of the market by flood as a result of inadequate drainage channel capable of containing level of flood water entering the market, calling for government’s intervention.
(Nation)
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