Residents of Obi-Igbodo community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised alarm over what they describe as persistent lack of basic social amenities, describing the situation as a major threat to their health, safety, and overall wellbeing.
Speaking in separate interviews with our correspondent, community members lamented the complete absence of a functional healthcare facility, poor road infrastructure, lack of potable water, and non-existent electricity supply in the area.
The Paramount Ruler of the community, Chief Nwaogu Nnanyerego, expressed deep concern over what he described as decades of neglect, noting that Obi-Igbodo has never had a health centre since its establishment.
According to him, the situation has left residents, particularly pregnant women and the elderly, highly vulnerable to preventable health risks.
He explained that expectant mothers are often forced to travel long distances to Okehi in search of medical care, a journey he described as stressful and life-threatening, especially in emergency situations.
“We want government to come to this community and assist us for many things, mostly health centre. Our women, our children have nowhere to take treatment if they are sick, there is nowhere you can take them in the night if they are sick. From here to Okehi, that is where we go for treatment”
Community members also decried the deplorable state of roads in the area. A community leader, Festus Anyalebechi, said the condition of roads worsens during the rainy season, leading to severe flooding that has reportedly claimed the lives of several children.
“We find it very difficult to move during the rainy season, the grading you saw was done by the LGA chairman. We are really suffering here, nobody can come out when it rains. Our children always drown in the flood”
He added that the poor road network has made it difficult for residents to carry out their daily economic activities, especially during heavy rainfall.
On access to clean water, another resident, Samuel Ndidi, revealed that the community depends largely on rainwater for drinking and domestic use.
He noted that despite local efforts to purify the water, the practice has led to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera, resulting in loss of lives.
“There is no water here, the water we drink is the rain, when it rains we fetch water and use alom to preserve it in the drums. And many people have died because of cholera”
The community also faces total blackout, as residents say they have never experienced electricity supply. Chief Nnanyerego stated that the lack of electricity has negatively impacted economic activities and living standards in the area.
“Before my father and my forefathers were born, there has been no electricity in this village.
There is constant electricity in some of our neighbouring communities but we don’t see light, anybody that sees light sees it through his lantern and candles, that is the kind of electricity we have here”
He further alleged that previous efforts to attract government intervention have yielded no results, lamenting that the community has at times been extorted under false promises of electricity provision.
Residents are therefore calling on the government at all levels, as well as relevant agencies and stakeholders, to urgently intervene by providing essential infrastructure, including a functional healthcare centre, good road network, potable water, drainage systems, and electricity.
They stressed that addressing these challenges would significantly improve the quality of life in Obi-Igbodo and reduce the risks currently faced by the community.