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From: David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Ufuma community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State has sent a Save Our Soul message to Governor Willie Obiano over a devastating gully erosion plaguing the area.
The special appeal to intervene in the community’s ecological problem was made, on Wednesday, through the Governor’s support group, Stakeholders for Willie Obiano 2nd Tenure during a town hall meeting to canvass for Obiano’s support in the November 18 governorship election in the state.
According to a film projection presented by Dr. Johnson Nwajagu to back up the community’s claims, the erosion site was pictured as fast advancing towards residential buildings even as some of the fences are already touched. Dr. Nwajagu said residents of the affected areas had begun to relocate to squat with neighbours at safe places because of the threat posed by the erosion menace.
Dr. Nwajagu said each time it rained in the area, there would be heavy flooding that had aggravated the community’s ecological problem for over a long period of time.
Apart from the erosion menace, Ufuma Community Development Union with Sir Basil Onwunze as its President-General pointed out some roads and a bridge projects abandoned which they made an appeal to be reconstructed for them. These include Ajali-Ufuma road, Umuogem-Ogbunka road and a bridge that has cut into two in the area.
The community members agreed that they would support Governor Obiano for his second tenure but insisted that their road infrastructure, erosion menace must be attended to for them to have a sense of belonging. Sponsor of the event, Elder Dan Nwokolo of the Ufuma prayer ministry said the Governor would be sure of over ninety five percent votes from Ufuma community so long as it was remembered in the scheme of things.
Reacting to the community’s appeal, national organizing secretary of the support group, Dr Jeff Okeke said few representatives from the community would be selected to arrange for their meeting with the Governor on one to one basis to present their problems in order of priority. He told them that the essence of the town hall meeting was to know the problems of various communities and to proffer solutions to them.
Mr Uchenna Okafor who represented the national coordinator of the group, Chief Ekene Enefe said some of the major road contracts would be awarded in Ufuma as soon as the rain ceased.
