Abia govt promises quick intervention to save the community from gully erosion

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

Abia State Government has promised quick intervention on the gully erosion threatening the people of Ogbor ancient kingdom and residents of Ovom Street in Aba North Local Government Area.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Aba Rejuvenation, Mr Uche Ukeje, gave the assurance when he visited a massive gully erosion site posing an imminent threat to the lives and property of residents of the area.

Mr. Ukeje, an architect, who spoke after inspecting the erosion site described the impact of the erosion in the community as massive.

He said that he was going to relay the outcome of his visit to the Governor and the need for urgent intervention by the state to save the community from further loss, adding that the state government would be seeking the support of relevant federal government and global agencies to permanently address the erosion challenge.

He disclosed that the state alone would not be able to fund the project because of the magnitude of the gully and the damage already caused in the community.

Ukeje, who blamed the previous administration for not intervening at the early stage of the menace, assured the people that the Gov. Alex Otti -led Government would not abandon them.

He said it was only an insensitive government that would have allowed the erosion menace to get to the extent it was at the time of the inspection.

“The scale of destruction as you can see here is massive. We will get other organs of government involved to make sure that help comes as soon as possible.

“This problem has lingered before this administration. We are going to look at the remote cause of this to know how to permanently bring this to an end. We will trace the cause and find a lasting solution to the flood menace in this community.”

Indigenes of the area lamented that they could no longer easily meet with their kith or kin or access some parts of Aba North and South LGA because of the impact of the erosion.

According to them, the road when it was still motorable served as an alternative entry and exit route to major parts of Aba, the commercial nerve of the state.

They stated that they no longer sleep, especially during the current rainy season as the road caves in at the slightest drop of rain.

They disclosed that many houses have caved into the gully, adding that the erosion may soon sack the entire community, with over 3000 houses already threatened.

The President of Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Chief Jerry Kalu, said that his attention was drawn to the erosion menace by residents and indigenes of the area.

Chief Kalu called on lawmakers representing the area from state to federal level to liaise with the state government to ensure that urgent step is taken to bring a lasting solution to the erosion menace.