By Izunna Okafor, Nnewi
A group of individuals, identified as Umunnama Progressive Union, in Ebenator, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Friday, carried out some palliative works on failed portions of the major access road into the community.
The road, which stretches from Ebenator Junction down to Ukpor, has been an eyesore for over three decades now and still counting, despite all calls for government’s intervention.
The road also deteriorated to the extent that gullies started sprouting on both sides of the road, due to flood hence the youths of Umunnama village resorted to self-help approach.
The villagers were seen on Friday creating channels and pathways for the flood with crude tools, including hoes, shovels, machetes, and others, to mitigate the effects of flood and prevent further damages on the road.
Speaking on the essence of the work, the Vice Chairman of Umunnama Progressive Union, Chief Eugene Ezeiwuchukwu said it was one of their own ways of ameliorating the situation and keeping the road motorable.
He explained that if not checked, the gullies gradually sprouting on the sides of the road may escalate deeper and grow wider, which he said was another major reason they decided to start making their own efforts while also waiting for government’s intervention.
Chief Ezeiwuchukwu further explained that they had earlier carried out such work on the road about two weeks ago, and also plan to repeat same in the coming week.
On his own part, the President-General of the community, Dr. Anthony Okechukwu appreciated the group for the self-help efforts and palliative works, which he said they have been doing from time to time, to make the road and the community better.
He also expressed the appreciation of the Ebenator Development Union (E.D.U.) to the group for manifestation of commitments towards the development of the community, and revealed that the leadership of the group would always support their good work, as they have always done.
He also called on the government to urgently come to the community’s rescue on the road and other challenges bedeviling the community, most especially erosion gullies, which have also troubled the community for decades.
Concerning the place where erosion gully recently cut off road in the community, the PG revealed that a team from the state government recently came to inspect the scene, even as he highlighted other individual and group effort so far made to facilitate actions on the situation, and expressed optimism that the government would soon intervene and expedite action.
