…As houses, farmlands are threatened

From: Petrus Obi, Enugu

The Obinagu community in the Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has called for urgent intervention of the Federal Government in the erosion disaster which is already threatening the lives and property of the people.

Addressing newsmen at the erosion site, on Wednesday,  a community leader and traditional head of Akpulu village in Obinagu, Okobo Paul Onyia appealed to the Federal Government and the Erosion Control Office to come to their aid before the erosion gets out of hand.

“Before it gets to the level of the one in Agulu and other areas we have serious erosion disaster in the zone; It’s still at a stage where it can be checked now, and we are calling on government to come now and nip it in the bud before it gets so bad.

“Because it can get to a stage where not even the government can do anything about it and it would lead to an entire community having to evacuate. People would lose their property, farms, buildings, homelands and that is not what the government would want to see.

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“Like they said that there would be a second phase, we urge the government to give approve as soon as possible so that work can commence immediately.”

The lamentation of the community is coming just as a 10-year-old erosion and road project in the community was formerly commissioned and handed over to the people.

Reacting, the Okobo said the community was grateful for the roads; “yes, we are grateful for the road that was done; our roads are good you can drive to our respective homes better than before. But unfortunately, the construction of the road created more havoc in terms of erosion and that’s where we are worried . In the process of constructing the road the traditional water channels were blocked at specific locations causing a lot of damage.

“Initially we were told that the project was erosion control but at the end we have ended up with more erosion problem and that is worrisome. The project has lasted for about 10 years, and just this week they came and said they had completed the project and it was being commissioned and handed over.”