Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has promised to take immediate action to arrest the gully erosion menace along Ovom Street, in Aba North Local Government Area of the State.
The gully, which has cut the road into two, has created long valley and collapsed many buildings and destroyed landed properties within the area.
Governor Otti, who inspected the erosion site recently, directed Uche Ukeje, general manager, Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) to see him for immediate mobilisation of experienced engineers and contractors to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The governor, while addressing the press, said that it was unfortunate that erosion had dealt a deadly blow in the area, noting that if it was not controlled immediately it would not only affect all the buildings in the community, but the entire area.
“So, we need to come quickly and I have given the instruction to the General Manager of Greater Aba Development Agency and he should be meeting with me later this evening, so that we will start solving the problem in the next few weeks.
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“We are starting immediately, by the time we engage the engineers and contractors, because it is not going to be done by direct labour. We need people, who understand what to do. But I believe that it is something that we should deal with before the end of this year”, he said.
Recall that the Abia State Government in January, 2024 advised residents of Ovom Street, especially those close to the gully errossion site, to vacate the area to save their lives, prior to the recovery of the area.
BusinessDay reports that the governor was joined on the inspection of the erosion site, by Emmanuel Emeruwa, speaker, Abia State House of Assembly; Ucheonye Stephen, lawmaker representing Aba Central State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly; Uche Ukeje, general manager, Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA); John Udeagbala, mayor, Aba North Local Government Area; Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, acting chairman, Abia State chapter of the Labour Party (LP); Obioma Nwaogbe, senior special assistant to the Governor on Transport and Ismael Onuoha, senior special assistant to the Governor on Cooperative Societies, among others.
