…Cries out to Obiano for help
From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
In its effort to curtail the menace of flood and erosion, a Catholic mission centre, St. John Bosco Institute and Youth Centre Ibolo Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, has spent N25 million in building bulk culverts and drainage system.
The centre took the bull by the horn after several alarms over the looming danger had cut off the area from other parts of the town and recently pulled down the fence of the school fall on the deaf ear of the government.
The worst hit by the erosion and flood were the only road that connects the Catholic mission school, St. John Bosco, the roads that linked old Spare Parts Market otherwise known as Mgbuka Obosi, the road that connects the area to Onitsha-Owerri road and Electrical Parts Market, which have all been rendered impassable.
The Director of St. John Bosco Institute of Technology (JOBITECH) and Administrator/Economer of St. John Bosco Youth Centre, Rev Fr Samuel Agudosi (SDB) lamented that after several appeals to the government to come to their aid by constructing the roads and drainages to protect the school and residents from further damage failed to elicit any responds they started the project in their own little way.
He noted that the mission school has already spent N25 million on the project estimated to gulp over N35 million so as to ensure the school is secured from flood during this rainy season.
Agudosi lamented that in the past three years flood had killed a pregnant woman and some children in the area, pointing out that a student of the school escaped death after a ravaging flood carried her, she was saved by some boys.
He also said that the students’ hostel was gutted by fire in 2015.
He disclosed that he had met with Governor Willie Obiano over the erosion and flood menace and had written a letter in respect of the menace. He said the governor immediately directed his Commissioner for Works to measure and survey the road, but nothing had been done till date.
Fr Agudosi said residents of the area, including the priests, students, and teachers were living in fears due to the menace of the flood, stressing that the area has been completely cut-off to the extent that no vehicle could access it, especially during the rainy season.
The director said that the condition of the road was threatening St. John Bosco, the only Catholic mission in the South-East and South-South zones, stressing that the centre was on the verge of shutting down due to environmental problem.
The director, appealed to the state government to come to their aid by ensuring that the road that links the school was rehabilitated.
“The past administration knew about this road and the present administration is aware of the road but nothing has been done by the government. The rain is here again, thank God that the rain this year delayed a little bit and now it is not the time of lamenting that the government is not doing anything but as a mission centre, we called on our Rector-Major, the head of our congregation who is in Rome and he has helped us with some money, half of what we think will do the project within the school area.
“So far we have spent N25 million and it is not yet over because the budget is around N35 million. As you can see all our fences are down, we are trying to make use of available resources as it could go just to try to link up the water channels because the flood is too heavy and it is as far as Nkpor area. We try to make the channel large enough because of the future, we don’t want a situation the water will overflow the channel tomorrow.
“Almost all our compound is flooded when it rains, and that is why we immediately embarked on this project to save the compound, students and staffers. We have been having sleepless nights and whenever our students come out to play we are afraid because flood can carry any of them. Last time our students, a 22-year old girl, Eucharia Igboanugo nearly lost her life but for the intervention of about five boys who saw her when the flood carried her and rescued her. The girl was traumatized for almost two weeks; I was counseling her because she wanted to go home.
“The compound is almost gone because of the menace of erosion and flood. We are trying our best to save the area but the government is not helping us a private establishment helping the less privileged and as a centre for youth development. We are happy to see young people grow by following the footstep of St. John Bosco himself, which is why we are happy doing the job and having selfless nights in combating the flood,” Fr. Agudosi lamented.