BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI—Some royal fathers from erosion devastated areas of Orlu, Ideato North and Ezinihitte Mbaise local local council areas of Imo State, yesterday, stormed Government House, Owerri, to protest the plight of their people.

The traditional rulers were angered by what they see as neglect and the possibility that their communities  might be swallowed up by the superior force of devastating gully erosion.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the traditional ruler of Isiokwu, Ihioma, in Orlu and leader of the group, Eze John Nwosu, called on Governor Rochas Okorocha to come to the aid of their respective communities.

The monarch said: “We are appealing to you to come to the aid of our respective communities. We are seriously threatened with extinction by the ever-growing gully erosion.”
The aggrieved royal father pointed out that the payment of counterpart fund as required by World Bank would fast track the project.

Responding, Okorocha promised to pay the required counterpart fund needed to get work started at the four council areas in a World Bank-assisted Nigeria Erosion Control and Management Project, NEWMAP.
The governor said a technical committee, comprising traditional rulers, would be set up to over see the disbursement and execution of the projects.

Okorocha also used the event to highlight some areas his administration had intervened in erosion control and management, including Onuimo -Ntueke erosion site, which would have cut off the two communities, St. Theresa’s erosion site Orlu, and the dualisation of Orlu –Ideato road, which in addition checked the ravaging effect of erosion in that area.