*Residents bemoan govt nonchalant attitude to their plight

*Evaluation survey ongoing – Udoh, Environment commissioner

By Chioma Onuegbu

RAVAGING  gully erosion has quarantined residents of Afaha Oku, Ikpa and other adjoining communities in Uyo Local Government Area from other sections of the state and also crippled business activities.

NDV was reliably informed that the most dangerous spot on Ikpa-Afaha Oku road is just about six to seven poles to Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo.

Affected residents who spoke to NDV at the collapsed areas of Ikpa and Afaha Oku road, expressed disappointment that past and present governments in the state neglected to take proactive steps to tackle the gully erosion threatening their environments, lives and property.

They lamented that the ravaging gullies would not have worsened if government had put measures to mitigate the menace early enough.

A  youth of Afaha  Oku village, who identified himself as N.K. Essien said: “Many of the villages in Uyo Local Government are affected by this ravaging gully erosion. This gully you are seeing started from Uruekpa down to Ikpa roads. We experience serious flooding and erosion menace in the whole of this area during rainy season. 

“And this erosion site started getting bad about six years ago, so when some government officials say they were not aware that the situation is this bad, it is annoying. Most government officials have been using this road; how is it possible that they were not aware before now?

“The destructive effect is enormous. It has crippled business activities in the whole of this area. We used to have shops all over the place as most students of University of Uyo used to live here, especially non-indigenes. Most of the shops have closed down due to low patronage as students have packed out of the area.

Road collapse
“And some of the youths in the community have been at this spot since last week when the roads collapsed, trying to make sure people do not risk their lives by continuing to use the roads, especially when it is raining. If you look very well, you can see that the road is still cracking.

”For instance, we lost three children as a result of this erosion menace, which was about one month ago, so we will not want a repeat of such ugly incident. And that is why we decided to put the caution barriers around the site,” he disclosed.

Transportation paralyzed
A commercial motorcyclist from Uruekpa village, who simply identified himself as Aniekan said: “This collapsed road has affected businesses in the whole of this area. As you can see, that portion of the road has been blocked, no movement of vehicles and motorcycles from other communities going to Uruekpa or from Afaha Oku to Uyo. 

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“What we do now is when we carry passengers, we drop them at this gully erosion and they trek to the other side of the road where you see tricycles. As a commercial cyclist, it has affected my business because instead of the N100 we used to charge, it is now N50 since we have to drop the passengers halfway.

“The passengers are also suffering because from where we drop them off, they will trek some distance to where they will get tricycles  (Keke Napep) to Uyo or other areas, which is stressful. So I am calling on our government to come to our rescue, let them fix the road as soon as possible in order to lessen our sufferings.”

Road may cut into two – Matthew, tricycle operator
Another commercial tricycle operator and villager, Mr. Kingsley Matthew, expressed fear that the road could cut into two if nothing was done fast to tackle the gully menace.

“And if this road splits, there will be no other road for us to get to our houses. Both the spot along this Science Park road and the Ikpa junction are all busy and important state roads linking to many parts of Uyo, the state capital.

“This affected spot is just about six to seven poles to Akwa Ibom State Government House. I am appealing to this current government not to be insensitive to our plight like past governments. If that road cuts into two, many of us residing here will experience untold hardship. 

“This tricycle business is what I have been doing to take care of my family since 2011, I do not want to be out of job because of the current state of this road. And the condition of the road is beyond us resorting to self-help, so I appeal to government to come to our rescue fast.” 

Stay-off dangerous spot –Govt
Meanwhile, the  Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Mr. Charles  Udoh, in a statement,  advised members of the public to avoid the vicinity, urging motorists to use alternative routes in the meantime.

“Residents, citizens and businesses in the affected neighborhoods are advised to remain vigilant and evacuate the vicinity for now. The collapse is triggered by gully erosion fingers spreading to these locations from the previously dormant ravines in the vicinity.

“Recall that a few months ago, the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals had erected caution barriers to prevent human or vehicular traffic from falling into the gully. 

“This was to allow for site evaluation survey, development of engineering drawings as well as Bill of Engineering Measurements and Evaluation, BEME to guide the restoration works. These processes are currently ongoing,” he added.

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