Dr Alex Ekwueme, late former Nigerian Vice-President’s Oko community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra state is under renewed erosion threat with many buildings and cash crops washed away.
The community, according to research by the International Erosion Control Association is captured among the world danger towns with severe erosion threat.
Hon. Casimir Nwafor, President-General of the community, has appealed to the International Erosion Control Agency and federal and state governments for help in the age-long problem confronting the town.
Nwafor appealed on Saturday at the scene of a collapsed one-storey building at Eziabor Village, Oko. According to him, many residential buildings and cash crops worth millions of naira have been washed away in recent times by recent heavy downpours in the community.
Nwafor, however, added that thus, no life was lost recently, but many people were rendered homeless and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
Nwafor, who is also the Transition Committee Chairman of Orumba North Council, revealed that the erosion which caused the collapse of the one-storey building at Eziabor Village, Oko has become life-threatening to members of the community and neighbouring towns.
He affirmed that if urgent measures are not taken more buildings in the community will also collapse. Also speaking, the Vice President of the union, Chief Sunday Nwafor called for urgent engineering work at the site to save the constant nightmares.
Some residents of the community, Chief Remigius Okeke, Lady Christiana Obi and others, said: “They have continued to lose both human beings and valuable property to erosion in the area while appealing to relevant authorities and concerned citizens for help.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
