*Road won’t survive next rainfall – Emelu
President of Uzotex Charity Foundation, UCF, Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, has called on federal and Imo State government to save Ideato area from being cut off by erosion.
He said the road that leads from Orlu to Akokwa and Anambra is being swept away by gully erosion.
Mbisiogu said there is an urgent need to prevent the only road connecting the area from being submerged.
The UCF founder, who made a passionate appeal to concerned authorities , said the link road road in the area may cave in a matter of days.
He told Vanguard that the road leads from Akokwa to Orlu by Umuchima, adding that it’s very close to Orashi River.
His words: “The condition of the road is deplorable. Our people are at the verge of being cut off owing to the state of the road. As we are speaking, I am not sure the road would survive the next rainfall. The economic and social life of the people are threatened by the gully erosion. Federal and state governments must act now. In a matter of days, communities in the area may no longer have access to anywhere.”
Also speaking to Vanguard, President-General of Umuchima community, Mr. Chiboy Emelu, said the road was poorly constructed, making it possible for it to be destroyed by gully erosion.
He added that Federal Road Maintenance Agency,FERMA, had carried out palliative work on the road, which didn’t last owing the “poor job” earlier done in the beginning.
Consequently, he pleaded with concerned authorities to quickly save the road from total collapse, adding that motorists now make use of a narrow portion of that is yet to cave in.
Emelu said:”It is quite unfortunate that the road is like that. It is as a result of poor construction done by the administration of Rochas Okorocha. Since then, FERMA had fixed the road twice and it failed. They didn’t take advice from villagers who have better ideas on how to fix the road. So bad is the place now that a journey from Orlu to Anambra which was N1000 is now N3000. It is the only road from Orlu to Anambra. Erosion has swept off houses and farmlands on the road, forcing people to flee. We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid. If nothing is done and it rains again, it will be horrible. It is a federal road.”
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