Commuters stranded as flood takes over Mararaba-FCT road

Commission sympathises with flood victims in Kebbi, Niger
Commuters along the busy Mararaba to Abuja city centre road were stranded yesterday following a gridlock caused by flooding after a heavy downpour.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the flooding and gridlock created a chaotic scene at the Mararaba section of the road in New Kara Local Council in Nasarawa State.

It was learnt that the rain, which began in the early hours, overwhelmed the area due to a poor drainage system.

Consequently, many vehicles broke down in the floods as drivers struggled to navigate the deep water.

Residents and commuters faced hours of delay while trying to catch commercial vehicles amid the gridlock.

A commuter said the situation was even more difficult as some commercial bus drivers seized the opportunity to hike fares.

“Every time it rains like this, we face the same problems. The drainage system can’t contain the water, which leads to flooding and traffic congestion. Now, with the fare hike, it is just unbearable. The government needs to do something about this,” the commuter said.

Another commuter, Vincent Okonkwo, said fares always increase whenever it rains.

“When there is no rain, I spend about N1,000 moving from my house in Ado to Wuse Zone 2, where my office is. Now, I spend about N2,000 to get to the destination. As it is now, the traffic is heavy, and I am not even sure when I will get to the office,” he said.

Another commuter, Miss Blessing Ani, who lives in Masaka but works in Berger, said she paid an extra N1,200 to get to her office.

“With the rain, I am paying N2,200 instead of the N1,000 I usually pay to the office. This is worrisome because of the country’s economic situation. Sometimes, I don’t even go to work because of the hike in fare when it rains,” she explained.

Ani called on the local government, Nasarawa State, and the FCT Administration to help millions of residents and commuters in the area.

She also urged the management of Young Shall Grow Transportation Company, whose frontage is more affected by the flooding, to embark on palliative measures, pending a final solution by the appropriate authority.

MEANWHILE, the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission has sympathised with farmers in Argungu Local Council and other parts of Kebbi and Niger states whose farm produce was destroyed by a recent flood disaster.

The commission’s Head of Press and Public Affairs, Nura Tanko Wakili, described the incident in a statement yesterday as a tragic event that could impact the country’s efforts to improve sustainability and food security.

The statement added that the Commission’s Managing Director, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, noted with concern the effects of this development on the livelihoods of the affected communities and commended the Federal Government for its prompt response in setting aside N3 billion to support the disaster victims.

It said the commission had embarked on sensitisation campaigns through mass media and advocacy visits, which minimised the flood’s impact on riverine settlements. However, farmlands, especially on the flood plains, could not escape the natural disaster.

The commission emphasised the need for the affected communities to adhere strictly to safety measures. This comes in light of predictions by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) of rising water levels on the Rivers Rima and Niger. Additionally, a report from the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) in Niamey, Niger Republic, indicated another rising water level on the River Niger system, posing a severe threat of more flooding in the days to come.

The statement explained that the situation, which is reported to be an update of the situation in Niamey, is informed by upstream activities in both Niger and Mali flood waters, which are expected to move gradually into Nigeria through Kebbi State.

It assured that NIHSA would continue to monitor the flood situation in the country and provide periodic updates to the general public.