EKPOMA— THE royal family of Ekpoma in Edo State has been sacked from the palace by flood but the spokesman of the ruling PDP in the state, Prince Francis Iyasere who sympathized with all victims of flood in the state, has appealed for patience and understanding with the government of Lucky Igbinedion.
The Onogie of Ekpoma, His Royal Highness, M.A. Akhimien confirmed that the royal courtyard was overrun by erosion last Thursday and the palace submerged by flood. The royal father who called on the relevant government authorities to come to his rescue and that of his subjects that were similarly affected, said that some of his children, residing in the palace have been displaced.
He described the erosion problem threatening his palace as embarrassing, saying that he ran to the chairman of Esan West local government area when his compound was first submerged early in the year.
The chairman, Mr. Monday Abulu responded with officials of his council by visiting the palace for on-the-spot assessment. It was gathered that he left with a promise to help solve the erosion problem but apparently, he was yet to do anything when the flood wreaked more havoc last Thursday.
The flood problem in the state is assuming a critical dimension as Benin City, the state capital is rendered completely impassable each time there is a heavy downpour. Irate youths at Uselu, last month, mounted a blockade on the Benin-Lagos road for hours in protest over the lack of a good drainage system on the road, which has been identified as the cause of the overflow of water to their homes.
PDP spokesman, Prince Iyasere who appealed to the protesting victims for calm said the state government was concerned about their plight, adding that the new environmental policy of the government was informed by its desire to check flooding in the state.
He said that no sane government would allow its citizens to suffer untold hardship, pointing that if not for limited finances, the governor, Chief Igbinedion would have solved all the erosion problems in the state. He recalled that it was the Igbinedion government that tackled the flood problem at the Upper Sakponba area of Benin City which previous administrations before him did not solve.
