Residents of Ekpoma have expressed displeasure over silence of the Edo State government over the tragic incident where a cocoa merchant identified as Frank Omoruyi was swept away by flood.
The residents blasted Governor Okpebholo for not sending any rescue team to help recover the corpse.
They said they paid what they termed ‘good money’ to divers from Benue State to recover Omoruyi’s corpse from a burrow pit at Uwenbo area after two days of intense search.
The Ekpoma residents said no state government or local government official joined in the rescue operation.
They threatened to protest and stop further construction work of the Benin-Auchi highway.
Head of Talakawa Parliament, Kola Edokpayi, in a brief statement, urged Governor Okpebholo to address menace of flooding.
“Governor Monday Okpebholo needs to address the menace of flooding in Ekpoma. Edo cannot be shinning when Ekpoma is the heartbeat of flood.”
According to Samuel Osarenkhoe, “Two Benue boys were hired to get the body out. We paid them handsomely. He was a cocoa merchant. He was our member and a good friend.
Another resident, “Luis
Ebabulu, said they were saddened that no government official visited the community two days after the incident occurred.“No government official has been here since the incident occurred. We have been contributing money to pay people to search for the body. We are coming out tomorrow to protest to stop the project. They cannot be doing road and be killing us.
“Flooding and erosion problem has worsen by the construction of the Benin-Auchi highway. The contractor channeled flood water to the borrow pit.”
Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon Paul Ohonbamu, said Governor Okpebholo has desilted drainages across the state.
Ohonbamu described the death of Omoruyi as unfortunate saying flood and erosion control was a priority for the Okpebholo’s administration.
Wawareporters recall that a motorcyclist, on Tuesday evening was swept away by erosion in the university town of Ekpoma, Esan West local government area of Edo State.
The tragic incident which has sparked renewed concern over the worsening case of erosion in most parts of Edo State was captured in a viral video that is circulating widely across social media platforms.
