Former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s kinsmen, comprising Umuchima, Ogboko and Obohia communities in Imo State, have cried out to the federal government to come to their rescue, pointing out that if nothing is done, urgently, their communities will go into extinction as a result of the devastating erosion menace.
According to some of those protesting at Umuchima over 20 houses have been swept off by gully erosion and from all indications more houses will soon go down.
Speaking in an interview, one of them who simply identified himself as Mr Ejike, said, “if remedial action is not taken before the end of July, the entire community will be swept off Ejike further stated that they recently heard that contract for the construction of the road has been awarded but till date they have not seen any sign to justify the assertion.
Also speaking, Joe Onyenakezi, said, “it is not just our community alone, but other neighboring communities will suffer the same ugly fate if the federal government does not come to our aid”.
Our reporter who visited some of the affected communities, confirmed that some house were at the verge of collapsing.
One of the stakeholders who spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity posited that Okorocha’s administration worsened their plight as a result of the ill-fated road dualization exercise he embarked on and the poor quality jobs he did which messed up the entire landscape including the Orlu-Mgbee road bridge which collapsed few months after he left office.
“Besides, as a Senator former Governor Okorocha who held sway or eight years did not attract a single project to his people. Hence everybody including himself is suffering. That is also why he does not come home because the road to his compound is in a very terrible and unmotorable condition”.
He concluded by saying that, Okorocha’s emergence as Governor which they thought would be a blessing, ended up being a disaster for the communities and their people.
