• Ebonyi community cut off from outside world laments frequent loss of lives in river
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
A mere sight of an old wooden bridge at Akadoro River in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State reminds one of the Stone Age. The structure clearly portrays abandonment of the people of the area by successive administrations in present day Ebonyi State.
The wooden bridge which is anchored on ropes fastened to trees around the area allegedly claimed no fewer than five lives in recent times. These unlucky people reportedly fell into the river and were drowned.
In addition, the rickety bridge has remained the only means the people of that side of Ekka could relate with the neighbouring communities. In fact, the situation has been a major impediment to economic and social activities there.
Daily Sun was informed the difficulty the people of the area faced taking pregnant women to health facilities to deliver their babies especially when the river overflowed its banks.
Disturbed by the development, the community appealed to Ebonyi State Government to come to its aid. According to them, the situation has practically severed them from the outside world.
They asked Governor Francis Nwifuru to build a modern bridge there, noting that their self-help effort had not been fruitful.
President of Umubi-Ekka Development Union, Mathew Nwokeh said: “The bridge is not only life-threatening but also agent of death to our people and their neighbours comprising Inyere, Nkomoro and Ogboji.” He recalled that Mrs. Nwoba Laka, drowned in the river some years back.
He said that the non-availability of a modern structure across the river had prevented them from accessing Agba in Ishielu LGA of the state and their neighbours of Enugu State: “From the river, if repaired, it is not far to the place called 135 and even Enugu State and regrettably, the bridge which had claimed many lives was not remembered during the construction of the 34 unity bridges by former Governor Martin Elechi.
“Many politicians had used the construction of the bridge as campaign promise during their visits in our area until some years back when the immediate past senator for Ebonyi Central District, Obinna Ogba started the work but unluckily to us, the intended modern bridge was abandoned half way.
“During my school days, many parents usually carried their children and wards across the ancient bridge but whenever we noticed heavy flooding, we would stay at home for about two or three days waiting for the water to go down.”
Nwokeh further revealed that the community had written to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the past governments in the state, through many channels but all to no avail.
He begged that his people be remembered by the present government in the state, noting that they should not just be used during elections and dumped afterwards: “There are many polling units that produce over 500 voters respectively, we are always eager to exercise our franchise during the elections but after all this, no one remembers us any longer in the area of infrastructural development.”
President of Azu-Ekkam Youths General Assembly, Solomon Elem, corroborated the Umubi-Ekka Development Union leader but added that the bridge, if constructed would make trip to Enugu State easier for his people.
Prior to Ogba’s futile intervention about three years ago, Elem disclosed that their former Council Chairman, the late Stanley Uhuo, had tried to fix the place between 1996 and 1997.
Daily Sun was told of a pathetic incident when the river drowned three children of the same family, last year. This prompted the the community to approach their son, Chief Ikeuwa Omabe who incidentally is now the State Commissioner for Rural Development, for assistance: “Before now, three children from Igbudu Ekka village who went out in search of a particular soup condiment dialectically known as achi, two commercial motorcycle riders and another woman had died in the process of crossing the bridge.
“And due to the capital-intensive nature of the work, the community cannot do it, this is why we are calling for government assistance in the area.”
Elem further requested their people in government to present the issue to the state governor.
Another stakeholder, Friday Ngwuta said that both the river and its bridge have been hindering the economic growth of the community as many farmers could not convey their farm produce to the urban areas in large quantity due to lack of accessible road: “Additionally, the deposit of sharp sand in a section of the river has not been harvested because of the same problem, actually, we are in need of government assistance over this perennial problem.”
Ekka Town Union Secretary, Celestine Ikegwu said that the place was one of the unity bridges abandoned by the previous administration Chief Elechi, intended to his people and their kit and kin of Ndiegu Ekka.
Ikegwu lamented that the flood from the river usually prevented them from accessing their crops during rainy season: “We, as a community are calling on our sons and daughters representing us at various cadres of the government to make an appeal concerning the bridge on our behalf.”
Attempt by Daily Sun to find out whether the Ministry of Rural Development in the state would construct the bridge was not successful as we were clearly avoided by the officials.