By David-Chyddy Eleke, Awka
The traditional ruler of Anambra community of Nnanka, His Royal Highness Igwe G N Ofomata has sent out a save-our-soul message to the federal government to intervene in the erosion menace ravaging the community as the rains sets in again for the year.
Ofomata who is the longest reigning traditional ruler in the state said that though there has been ongoing efforts by the federal government to salvage the community through the awarding of the Nanka erosion site to Rhinos Maritime Construction in 2010, job at the site has been stalled as a result of refusal to give directive for the company to return to site.
The monarch told journalists during a visit to his palace after an independent inspection of the Oko/Nanka erosion site that he and his council chiefs have concluded arrangement to write to the federal government through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, calling on the President to intervene.
Ofomata said he was satisfied with the work done so far by Rhino Maritime and Construction company, and that at the pace the company worked, it would have long concluded the job if they were allowed to continue work.
Another indigene of the community who spoke with our correspondent, Mr Nwachukwu Uchendu said, “The company was doing a good work here as you can see. They constructed a very good road with standard drainage system and commenced work in the gully before the job was stalled.
“As you can see they are still at the site, but from what we gathered they are only waiting for a directive from the federal government to continue work, but the whole thing seemed to have been politicized. We don’t know what is happening any more, but we hear that some powerful interests are bent on stopping the job. As this continues, rainy season is fast approaching and our people live in fear everyday.”
In a chat at the site with an official of the company who pleaded anonymity, he said that the company recently received an invitation from the SGF and after a three day meeting was ordered back to site, but ‘powerful interests’ whose motives are not defined stopped the company from continuing work.
“We have done the better part of the job, which is the construction of a 2.2km road and a 2.2km standard drainage. Save for the collapse of a drainage from the Oko axis, which is not part of our job, which also destroyed the job we did so far we should be rounding up the job now,” the official stated.
While this continues, several houses are at the risk of being buried in the gully from the Oko axis of the gully, while several others have already been buried. Our correspondent learnt that the palace of Igwe Laz Ekwueme, traditional ruler of Oko Community and younger brother of former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme is currently under threat, just as he has also sent an SOS to president Jonathan to intervene.
