Rivers Churches Use Abandoned Buildings, Open Fields For Sunday Service As Flood Ravages Communities
Several churches on Sunday resorted to the use of abandoned buildings and open fields for services following the take over of several church buildings by the flood that has ravaged communities in Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State.
This is as the Rivers State government has begun the desilting of major canals and drainages in the state in order to tackle the current flooding in the state.
Also churches that planned special programmes during the weekend were forced to cancel such programmes, resulting in huge losses due to the flood.
Areas affected by the flood include; Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Harmony Estate
New GRA, Peter Odili Road, Eneka, Rukpokwu and Alakahia.
Also affected are Oyigbo, Atali, Mgbuoba, Rumuoparali, Ogbogoro, Egbelu, Cornerstone and Iwofe areas of the Port Harcourt metropolis, among others.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, a leader in one of the new generation churches located in Rukpokwu community, who pleaded for anonymity, said the church had to higher canopies and chairs so that they could hold Sunday service in an uncompleted building in the community.
Also speaking to our correspondent, a member of a pentecostal church, who identified himself as Brother Israel, said his church has to cancel it’s planted special programme after spending thousands of Naira because of the flood.
“The flood has taken over our church here in Oyigbo and we had planned a special programme this weekend. We had no choice but to cancel the whole thing even after spending lots of money to prepare for it. It is unfortunate,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Ministries of Works and Environment are currently carrying out desilting and clearing blocked waterways across affected locations, using swamp-buggy equipment to improve water flow.
The state deputy governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, disclosed this when she visited the Palace of the traditional ruler of Eneka, Professor Rowland Woko, to deliver relief materials to flood-affected residents in the community.
She stated that the the state has government was also addressing the environmental causes of flooding, including blocked drains and canals, broken culverts and structures erected on waterways.
Odu, who is also chairman of the State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara had directed the committee to move beyond sending relief materials to local government areas and reach communities that suffered the worst impact of the recent flooding, with food, non-food items and medicines being distributed directly as part of the State Government’s immediate intervention.
According to the deputy governor, the flooding had become particularly severe in the past week, forcing residents to construct makeshift wooden bridges and use canoes to move around their communities.
She also announced that affected residents would be enrolled in the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), with the government providing free medical treatment for one year.