Abia moves to save Aba community from being swallowed by erosion
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
The people of Ovom community in Aba, Abia State could now heave a sigh of relief as the state government has procured contractors to arrest the menacing gully erosion threatening to swallow community.
The erosion along Ovom street which has persisted, has wreaked havoc in the community.
The frightening gully has severed the road into two, created long valley, swallowed many buildings and devastated acres of lands within the area.
The State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who undertook an unscheduled visit to Ovom after worshipping at Christ Ascension Church, at Long John Avenue, Ogbor-Hill, Aba, last Sunday, August 4, 2024, frightened by what he saw, promised immediate action to arrest the gully.
Within 72 hours after the Governor’s visit, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, disclosed that government has procured a contractor to handle the erosion menace at Ovom, in Aba.
The Commissioner said that controlling the erosion would provide succour to the affected individuals in the area.
Reacting to questions, the Director-General, Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), Mr. Uche Ukeje, said that the role of the contractor at the Ovom erosion site would be to stop the erosion from further encroachment as well as to reclaim the area already devastated .
Governor Otti, had, after inspected the Ovom erosion site last Sunday, directed the Director-General of Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) to see him for immediate mobilisation of experienced engineers and contractors to find a lasting solution to the erosion menace in Ovom.
The Governor told newsmen that if no immediate action was taken, the erosion would be disastrous. “It’s very unfortunate that erosion has dealt a deadly blow in this area. And the way it is going, if it is not controlled immediately it will not only affect all the buildings around here but also the opposite side of the road where we are building people’s road and we should be completing that road any moment from now.
“So, we need to come very quickly and I have given the instruction to the Director-General of Greater Aba Development Agency and he should be meeting me later this evening so that we’ll start solving the problem in the next few weeks.
“We are starting immediately by the time we engage the engineers and contractors because it is not going to be done by direct labour. We need people who understand what to do. But I believe that it is something that we should deal with before the end of this year.”
Governor Otti disclosed that he had earlier instructed the GADA DG to evacuate those living around the erosion zone. “I had asked him to evacuate everybody living around here. So, if you look around these houses, there is no body in there. So, I hope nobody goes back to some of these buildings because it’s very dangerous,” he said.
