Structures on drains, cause Building Material Market flooding – President

THE recent cause of flood disaster which destroyed cars and goods worth millions of naira at Building Materials International Market (BMIM), Ogidi, Anambra State has been attributed to a gully erosion site behind the market and the indiscriminate construction of illegal structures, shops and shanties on drainage outlets around the market.

  It was a pathetic sight as the traders were counting losses over the submerging of some cars and shopping plazas around the market by flood.

  According to them, this was not the first time of such experience but the recent heavy rainfall compounded the problem in the market.

  Narrating their ordeals, the president-general of the market, Jude Nwankwo, who took journalists on a tour of the market to assess the level of damage described the incident as unfortunate.

  However, Nwankwo noted that such disaster could have been averted if some private land developers had not built structures and shanties on the drainage outlet constructed by the market under his watch.

  “The man made problem by some members of the market  who build on drainage is the major factor of this disaster. I am pleading to the governor to embark on a demolition exercise of shanties and illegal structures in and around the market as has been carried out in other flood prone areas in the state.

  “All attempt made to persuade the developers of these property and land have been met with stiff resistance so I can only appeal to the government to intervene, otherwise the situation may degenerate into a bigger problem as it is.

  “I believe that Soludo’s administration is friendly to commerce and traders in Anambra and I am confident that measures will be taken to forestall future occurrence.

  “I urge  calm and sympathise with the traders who are members of the market. I am appealing for government intervention especially in the area if reclamation of land behind the market being washed away by erosion resulting into a gully which serves as reservoir for the flood,” said Nwankwo