Traders at Building Material Market Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area have counted their losses over the recent flooding that submerged their shops destroying goods Worth millions of Naira.
The incident occurred during a heavy downpour that took place recently.
Staff reporter Emengini Osadebe who visited the scene to ascertain the level of damage reports that although the magnitude of the devastation was huge no life was lost.
According to her, on arrival at the market, some of the traders were seen cleaning their shops and wares while some of the vehicles affected by the flood were also seen at the market.
Conducting the ABS round the affected areas at the market, the President General, Building Material Market Ogidi, Chief Jude Nwankwo attributed the flooding to the activities of some private property developers who erected structures and plazas at the entrance of the market, thereby blocking the existing drainages along the market, even as others do not make provisions for drainage channels.
Chief Nwankwo who recounted how he approached some of the property owners asking them 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 and they refused, revealed that the flood has affected most of the shops at the private plazas and major entrance to the market.
On his part, the Chairman Board of Trustee of the market, Sir Mike Aguiyi regretted the havoc wreaked on the goods of the traders, describing it as a terrible situation and called for the state governments intervention to see that the drainage channels were opened and new ones constructed as the traders cannot do it alone.
Narrating their Ordeal to the ABS, Messers Benedict Chukwuelue, Harrison Ejimofor and Mrs Amaka Echetabiri as well as James Mkpuruoma said that the rain led to the overflowing of the market as there was not enough drainage channel that could contain the level of flood water entering the market and called for the state governments assistance.
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