Many houses and farmlands were submerged yesterday following a downpour in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
According to residents of the oil bearing community, the heavy rain lasted for over seven hours with attendant flooding which surged from the Atlantic Ocean and rendered many of them homeless.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area, Mr. Henry Ekpe Nko, sympathised with the victims and urged them to remain calm as he promised to contact relevant agencies on erosion control for relief materials.
Mr. Ekpo Nko, who inspected the worst hit areas, appealed to the Federal and State governments to come to the aid of the victims.
Leader of the state House of Assembly and member representing Ibeno and Esit Eket Constituency, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, cut short an official assignment in Abuja to sympathised with the victims.
Etteh assured them of quick government intervention to check the flood menace.
Lamenting the devastation done on people’s property by the flood, the council chairman appealed for immediate intervention from both the state and federal government agencies for the victims.
Meanwhile, Governor Godswill Akpabio has reshuffled his cabinet which saw some commissioners and special advisers swapping position while three were sacked.
In a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Umana Okon Umana, new commissioners are Mr. Iboro Ekanem, Ministry of Science and Technology; Dr. Glory Emmanuel Edet takes charge of Women Affairs; Prof. Atim Bassey Antai is the Commissioner for Education; Dr. EmemAbasi Bassey is in charge of Health, while Akparawa Godwin NtukUdeh is the Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Affairs.
Some commissioners who retained their portfolios are Ekpenyong Ntekim, Justice; Mr. Don Etim, Works; Hon. Eno Akpan, Lands and Town Planning; Mr. Aniekan Umanah, Information and Communications; Mr. Enobong Uwah, Environment and Mineral Resources; Albert Akpan, Finance; Martins Udoinyang, Commerce and Industry; Godwin Afangideh, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Mr. Sunny Anyang, Economic Development.
Those redeployed are Emmanuel Enoidem, who was moved to Special Duties; Bassey Dan Abia moved to Housing and Urban Renewal; Mr. Austin Udo Mbeh, Transport; Effiong Abia, Rural Development; Adasi Ubulom, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Ita Umoh Udo is in-charge of Culture and Tourism.
