EROSION THREATENS NGODO AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY IN ABIA STATE
Residents of Umuokwasa and Umuogwu in Ngodo Autonomous Community in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State have fled their homes as a result of erosion menace raving the area.
Our Correspondent who visited the area reports that the Major road leading to the community has been cut off by the erosion While about ten buildings are on the verge of caving into the gully.
Ngodo Autonomous Community is situated in Umunwanwa in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia state. The Community is an agrarian community with a total population density Of about ten thousand inhabitants. Inhabitants of the area are predominantly farmers whose produce are Cassava, Yam, Cocoa yam, Palm oil, and Vegetables.
The community has in the last few months being threatened by Gully Erosion sites in two villages in the area. A visit to the erosion sites by Radio Nigeria revealed that the Major Road that led to one of the villages in the community has been cut Off by the erosion menace.
Speaking with Radio Nigeria the Traditional Ruler of the Community Igwe Stephen Ihuoma expressed concern over the devastating impact of the erosion menace in the area noting that most of his people have left their homes and were now taking refuge in neighboring communities.
Igwe Ihuoma appealed to governments at all level to come to their aids in tackling the menace as it has posed a great danger to the lives and Property of the people in the community. Also contributing a Catholic Priest, the Reverend father Christian Anokwuru who is also an indigene of the community noted that the gully erosion has equally cut off the road leading to the village stream which is their only source of getting drinking water.
Father Anokwuru blamed the menace on neglect and abandonment of Rehabilitation work on Umunwanwa-Mbaise Road by the Niger Delta Development Commission and called on the commission to expedite action by completing the road to avoid flood being channeled to the wrong direction.
Other residents of the area, Chimezie Nwosu and Mrs Anthony Okoro Lamented on the havoc the erosion has caused on their farm lands and homes noting that most of them are homeless as a result of the menace. As the people of Ngodo in Umunwanwa in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State now counts their loses following the devastation of gully erosion in the area which is pertinent for Government to expedite action in tackling the menace as the people have no other place to call their home.
LAWRENCE NWOKEDI