Residents of erosion ravaged areas of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, have raised the alarm over the threat posed by gullies with several houses being pulled down.
Areas worst affected by the gully erosion include Asutan street, Eka street, Ikpa road, Udo Inwang street off Nwaniba in Ewet community, Afaha Oku community, Etim Umana and St Luke’s Hospital, Anua.
Following this threat, the state government directed residents of the affected areas to relocate to safer places.
The residents have, however, expressed dismay at the state government’s order to vacate from their ancestral homes without making alternative arrangement for such movement.
A resident of Bassey Eta Street who identified himself as Austin Etop, said in directing the residents to vacate their residence, there should be a remedial arrangement to ameliorate their sufferings.
Etop said houses in some of the affected areas are caving in just as he expressed the fear that if nothing is done this raining season, many people would be rendered homeless.
He regretted that successive government officials had visited the gully sites with promises to find a solution, but failed to fulfil their promises.
He, however, thanked the Governor Udom Emmanuel for constructing new roads in Asutan and other adjoining streets, noting that before the construction of the roads in 2018, he informed the contractors and other government officials of the existing ravine in the area which they agreed to take care of but were yet to do so, two years after.
“We are happy that the state government has constructed these roads but before then we duly notified the contractors and other government representatives of the encroaching ravine, which they promised to work on.
“The roads were commissioned without addressing that problem of the gully erosion, though with a promissory note that something would be done.
“Since that time till now, nothing has been done. This ravine has become a serious threat to the residents of the area; it is collapsing day by day. I don’t want to be pessimistic, if situation remains unattended through July, August and September, many people here will become homeless.
“I want the government to come to the aid of these people and if government asks people to vacate, at least it, it should make alternative arrangement for them.”
Another resident, Queen Williams narrated her ordeals and the perpetual fears her family members have been enmeshed in due to the gully which is already threatening her home.
She said “this is our ancestral home. We inherited it from our grandmother and the erosion has already caved in the building. Government has marked the building, directed us to vacate and promised to assist us. Unfortunately since that time, nothing has been done and we don’t have any place to go to and we can’t even sleep with our two eyes closed,” she said.
Also the secretary to Uyo village council, Sylvester Akpan in an interview asked government to provide alternative arrangement. “They cannot just drive them away like that. Government should be a little pathetic and look at their plight,” he said.
The state commissioner for environment and petroleum resources, Ekong Sampson said it was better for the residents to relocate to a safer place while waiting for government’s assistance.
“They must as a matter of urgency relocate to a safer place first. They must stay alive. The dead does not pay or receive rent. Government is putting measures in place for assistance, and for them to enjoy such assistance, they must naturally be alive and in a safe place too,” Ekong added.
