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Panic has gripped Akai Effa community in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area of Cross River State as the gully erosion ravaging the area worsens, threatening to wipe out the entire community.
In an emotional outburst, the female Village Head of Akai Effa, Her Royal Highness Henrietta Effa-Akpere, has cried out to the Federal Government, Governor Bassey Otu and the member representing Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency, Joseph Bassey, for urgent rescue.
The monarch raised the alarm after leading community elders on an inspection of two critical erosion sites that have now become death traps following recent heavy downpours.
According to her, the disaster, which began over five years ago, has assumed a frightening dimension, despite several reports to relevant authorities.
“It has been there, we have been reporting, even right from when NEWMAP was there. They came here and did an inspection. It has been over four or five years since the gully fingers began. It was unknown to us that the heavy rainfall was going to aggravate the matter,” she lamented.
HRH Effa-Akpere disclosed that the worsening gullies have already wreaked havoc, with flooding recorded three weeks ago washing away fish farms, poultry farms and other investments worth over N100 million belonging to residents.
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“Some people who have fish and poultry farms lost everything. The rain wiped all their produce worth over N100 million. Among those who lost their farms are Surilaco, Dr Henry Onwe and others,” she said.
“As I speak, a lot of the victims have nothing to eat or where to stay because erosion has threatened their homes,” she added.
Making a passionate appeal, the female monarch called on the federal and state governments to join hands to save the community from extinction before more lives are lost.
She made a special appeal to Joseph Bassey, whom she described as a son of the soil, to return home and rescue his people.
“My cry is that the federal government should join hands with the state government to rescue these people. Because if the rain continues like that, many lives may be lost,” she warned.
