Road to Former President Jonathan’s hometown covers up in Floods

A section of the Onuebum Road leading to Otuoke, former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s home town in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has been taken over by flood.

Motorists, especially private car owners, are now forced to travel through Elebele Road to access Otuoke community, host to a federal university.

Also, petty traders operating along the Otuoke-Onuebum Road have been sacked by the rising water level from the adjoining forest.

The road is the closest route for residents of Azikoro, Agbura, Otuokpoti and several other communities in Yenagoa to access Otuoke.

Some community youths had done palliative work on the failed portion of the road before flood submerged it. The youths were sighted, yesterday, directing vehicles away from the deeper parts of the flooded area.

An indigene of the area, who identified himself as Azibalua, said: “This is exactly how it started in 2012 and before we knew it, the entire road was taken over by flood.

“With the way the water level is rising, our communities are also not safe. This road might be closed to traffic in the next one week if the water keeps rising.”

A staff of the Federal University, Otuoke, John, said they were now spending more on transportation because of the refusal of most commercial vehicles to ply the troubled route.

He called on the state and Federal Government to come to the aid of the communities by finding a lasting solution to the perennial problem.