OWERRI – The people of Nekede Autonomous Community in Owerri West Local Government of Imo State have appealed to the state government to save them from erosion menace.
The Traditional Ruler of the community, Eze Stephen Agunmadu, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri on Tuesday.
Agunmadu esxressed fears that the community would soon be cut off from the capital city.
“Erosion is about to cut us off from the only road linking us to the capital city.
“We have made series of appeals in writing to the government but nothing was done. The only option we have is to take to the streets to draw government attention.
“We are all living in fear as the erosion is fast approaching our houses,’’ he said.
The royal father said that the community was one of the major food baskets of the state, adding that if nothing was done urgently, farmers would no longer have any way to evacuate their produce to the city.
“We are major farmers in this state, and the entire people will run short of food, if government allows the erosion to cut us off.”
Agunmadu, therefore, urged the government to shun unnecessary bureaucracies and deploy its machinery to control the erosion.
Reacting to the development, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Political Matters, told NAN that government was aware of the problem.
Onwuemeodo said that the government would soon commence work on the site and urged the people to remain calm.
He said that the administration of Gov Rochas Okorocha was on a rescue mission and would never allow its citizens to suffer unjustly. (NAN)
