BY VINCENT UJUMADU

AWKA—MEMBERS of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Environment were Thursday startled when they observed that the country home of the traditional ruler of Oko, Anambra State, Igwe (Prof) Laz Ekwueme, was on the verge of being swept away by erosion.

A community leader in the area, Chief Damian Okeke Ogene, who was almost in tears, told the committee who visited erosion sites in Anambra State that the landslide that took place about two weeks ago had further instilled fears in the people of the area. According to him, if something like that happens again, Ekwueme’s house will be no more.

Okeke said many people had lost their lives, while many others who lost their homes had relocated to neighbouring communities.

He commended President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Peter Obi for their intervention, adding that the last time the community witnessed a similar occurrence was during the dispensation of Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1983.

During the visit, members of the committee raised alarm over delay in erosion contract project at Oko and Nanka sites in Orumba North local government area of the state, warning the contractors to sit up.

The four-member committee, led by the member representing Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia federal constituency of Anambra State, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, visited Sakamori/Nwangene in Onitsha and Nanka/Oko in Orumba local government erosion sites.

The Sakamori/ Nwangene project was awarded to BENJAF International Limited at the cost of N1.2billion by the federal government, while the Nanka erosion project was awarded to RHINO Maritime Services and Construction Limited at a cost of N1.17 billion.

Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi had earlier opened the Sakamori/Nwangene drainage for free floor of flood, but members of the committee discovered to their disappointment that the area had been blocked again by the people.

At Nanka erosion sites, the committee chairman, Ekwunife told the contractors that the committee would be visiting the project every month to ensure that the project was not derailed.

Noting that people’s lives were adversely affected by the erosion menace, the committee frowned at the absence of the consultant during the visit, despite knowing that the committee would visit the site.

Ekwunife said: “This is a huge contract. We are not going to tolerate any form of story or delay or abandonment of this project. We are not happy with what we are seeing.

“From what we have seen here, we are not satisfied, we are going to monitor this project closely to make sure that tax payers’ money is jot misused. We are concerned because the rainy season will soon be here and that is why you have to expedite action on the job.”