By Ade Olu
Renovations of service points, such as schools and primary health centers, that flooding badly damaged, have commenced in twelve out of the sixteen communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area.
Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) Onitsha is carrying out the renovation under the Flood Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Project, funded by Catholic Relief Services.
The Project Lead of JDPC Onitsha, Shadrach Nwekeagu, updated newsmen on the project and explained that the team had earlier held a stakeholders’ town hall meeting to prepare the locals for the renovation.
“During the town hall meeting, we robbed minds together to strategize and determine the best way forward”.
Nwekeagu reported that the renovation of Odekpe Primary School in Obuetiti is complete, with toilet facilities and a soaker pit provided.
“We had to reinforce the foundation of the backside of the classroom building and amended the cracks on the walls.
“For some parts, we added iron rods to ensure that the renovation is solid. We did a holistic and critical infrastructure overhauling in that facility.
“We restored the missing floor, doors, and windows, then painted the facilities.”
The renovation also included the construction of about 70-feet long and 12-feet wide retaining wall, casted with various diameters of rods and pillars.
“We ensure more cement than sand to achieve something durable that can stand the pressure from flood water. We also constructed a water embankment wall to prevent and reduce the speed with which flood flows directly from River Niger into that part of the community”.
Nwekeagu explained that work has also commenced at Ogwuikpele and Akili-Ogidi.
“Due to the fact that we can’t stop flooding from coming, we went down to Ogwuikpele to start the work advancing upward from there.
Ogwuikpele has a PHC in good shape, but we are addressing other tasks that need completion.
However, their school is in poor condition, severely damaged, and their toilet facility is in ruins.. So, we are all working on all of them to keep services going.
“We’re also putting up retaining walls and also using sandbag to as barricades to hold water back from coming into the community especially these critical service points.
“They are constructing a new PHC in Akili-Ogidi to replace the old one, which flooding has badly destroyed, and they say the temporary one is unbefitting.
“We are also providing a new toilet facility. Akili-Ogidi is presently using a temporary apartment which is not befitting at all as PHC,” Nwekeagu added.
It is good to complement government especially in those critical sectors as education and economy.